the truth comes out as the fire burns low 

it comes to light as only embers glow 

the whiskey talks, the west wind moans in the night 


the deadfall's gathered and the branches are cut 

kindling crackles and the smoke curls up 

the small sticks catch then the bigger stuff will burn 


chinook dies down as the dark descends 

pine has burned, the ash has cleansed 

the message smolders, is lost, but finally sent 


connie says she's never seen the cougars so bold 

they're comin in the yard and they're stealin young colts 

they drag em in the brush with the claws sunk in their nose 


the weather's been funny thirty years or so 

the winters got warm, not as much snow 

hear the big cats comin cuz there's nowhere left to go 


you gotta look out for bear when you're fishing on lee's creek 

they'll come round the bend and they'll make your knees weak 

there's grizzlies where there was no grizzly bears before 


half heard voices from the ghosts, from the graves 

the grandfathers tell us at the mouths of the caves 

only old chiefs older than jesus can save us now, if we're lucky 


white man light a big fire, stay cold 

the red man's warmer, but the old man's old 

the antelope seeks the buffalo in the night 


the antelope mourns the buffalo in the night