The Truth Comes Out

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