Lyrics

Song lyrics are listed alphabetically and note the CD on which the song was recorded. You can purchase CDs HERE.

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32 Pairs of Shoes

Helga Estby came from Norway, married at 16 years
Built a sod house on the prairie, learned to persevere
She and Ole moved to Spokane
Ten children later, working the land

Then an injury crippled Ole, with a mortgage to be paid
And then the banks failed – 1893 – no money to be made
Three years later to save the family farm
Helga and her daughter walked arm in arm

$10,000 was the wager to prove a woman’s strength
Walk the country to New York City, go the entire length
Helga and Clara walked for seven months
Through heat, storms & danger, and didn’t turn back once

4000 miles, we can do this
32 pairs of shoes

They arrived in late December, but the payout was refused
They missed the deadline, three days late, it would not be excused
Stranded penniless by Christmas Day
Try as they would, they couldn’t make it home till May

When they got home, only sadness; diptheria had claimed
Two of her children in her absence, now Helga was to blame
It was a fool’s errand, what she had done
Unforgiven, now she was shunned

4000 miles, all for nothing
32 pairs of shoes

Helga meant to sell her memoir but her journals all were lost
So she rewrote her adventures, knowing what it cost
Yet when she died, her memories were spurned
Only two pages escaped being burned

4000 miles…

Helga’s story almost vanished in shaming and in strife
But it was whispered for 90 years till it came back to life
Newspapers wrote about her all along the way
And piece by piece, her story was saved

2007, Daughters of Norway, Mountain Home, Idaho
Named their lodge for Helga Estby, so they could proudly show
She walked for women and her family
And now we honor her place in history

4000 miles, we remember
32 pairs of shoes

4000 miles, Helga Estby
32 pairs of shoes

All Hallow's Eve

Seasons turn as earth is spinning ‘round
Radiance burns the summer to the ground
Somewhere across the sea, a candle in the night
Recalls the memory of dancing in the light

Shutters close against the pressing wind
Wisdom knows it’s wiser to stay in
Only the bravest and the lovers who believe
Will venture through the dark on this most hallowed eve

Trembling hearts and souls unseen drawn to the flame
Once a year will gather here breathing their names

Those who live bring offerings of gifts
They would give their love till darkness lifts
Those on the other side long to touch their skin
Oh, to feel a gentle kiss when the veil is thin

Trembling hearts and souls unseen drawn to the flame
Once a year will gather here breathing their names

Centuries pass and still we mark the day
Though through the glass we dimly see our way
For saints and family, for all we love and grieve
We keep the fires lit every Hallow’s Eve

Anatone

There’s a place up north that I long to see
Where Rattlesnake Grade meets the fields and trees
If you stand right there and you throw a stone
You’ll surely hit old Anatone

Where the speed drops down to 35 or so
Could be a police car so go real slow
There’s a sign to read while you are in the zone
That tells the tale of Anatone

There’s 38 people and 17 cats
Twenty dogs and a few old bats
Eleven horses, no one’s alone
Let’s all go to Anatone

There are cities all across the land
Teeming with people on every hand
Out of all those millions, you don’t know one
Sometimes a crowd ain’t too much fun

You might have a cabin up in the trees
Ice to your knuckles and snow to your knees
Wishin’ for a friend that you could telephone
Or you could go to Anatone
Where there’s…

When the gales howl and the breezes blow
And half the county’s in Mexico
I’m telling you true, when you’re cold to the bone
You’d feel warm in Anatone
‘Cause theres…
So, pack your bags and don’t be denied
Drive down the canyon and up the other side to the
Coolest place north of San Antone
Take a trip to Anatone
You won’t need a chaperone
You’re never alone in Anatone

Arrowhead

There’s a box down in the basement that’s filled up to the brim
With artifacts of days gone by and history grown dim
Evidence of people who once lived along the river
They left their tools upon the ground, now the earth becomes the giver

My father took off on his bike when he was 17
He rode along the Delaware to see what he could glean
From farmers’ fields freshly plowed, from trails after rain
Searching after arrowheads and pottery remains

The reward isn’t only in the finding
It’s the steps you take each day
The joy isn’t always in the things we hold
But in giving back in some small way

My father had a favorite trail that crossed a hunting ground
He always wished that somewhere there an arrowhead he’d found
Finally, after fifty years of walking in those woods,
He saw a shape he recognized lying where he stood

He brought it home, he showed it off, I held it in my hand
A little piece of history, surrendered by the land
And I thought if someday I could have just one thing from my dad
It would be that black flint arrowhead he had

The reward isn’t always in the finding…

Half a month went by and I asked him once again
If I could see the arrowhead he found up in the glen,
And with a twinkle in his eye, he said as he glanced down,
I went up there a week ago and put it back into the ground

He said, God gave me the arrowhead I wanted all those years
But it was enough to find it, I don’t need to keep it here
Maybe someday someone else will walk with wishful eyes,
Scan the path ahead of them and find their own surprise

The reward isn’t only in the finding…

Average Woman

Somebody new is coming to town
In an old station wagon that’s almost broke down
There’s a look in her eye that you’ve seen before
She’s lived all those years just looking for more

She’s an average woman with an average heart
That keeps right on beating when she falls apart
I’m telling you true, when the going gets tough
The average woman is woman enough

They all used to talk about leaving that town
But when she packed her bags, they were nowhere around
They said it took courage to do what she did
But for her it was only a life to be lived

She’s an average woman…

The smalltown blues will creep past your door
Like an afternoon shadow crossing the floor
In a kitchen that’s empty, in a house all alone
The quiet will court you as it cuts to the bone

Sometimes we wonder and sometimes we doubt
If we have the courage and strength to get out
But the average woman has all that she needs
The wisdom and love and the will to succeed

She’s an average woman…

Between the Lines

The rain is falling down, nothing new about that
And the wind sends catspaws o’er the water
The blackbirds dip and glide, guess it feels like spring
And they wear their colors like a rose on the wing

And I’m somewhere between the old and the new
Trying on the faces, I’m tightening my laces while waiting for the cue
I dance between the darkness and the light that blinds
Looking for direction, I read between the lines

I’m living by myself, and I’ve got a nice view
I go out walking every morning
The travelling’s fine, I do it alone
I just wish there was someone waiting for me when I get home

A letter came today from a faraway friend
She just got off the plane from Africa
She plans on heading west later in the spring
Meet me in Texas, she says, we’ll sing, sing, sing

And I’m somewhere between the old and the new
Trying on the faces and heading off to places that I never knew
I dance between the darkness and the light that blinds
Following the answers I find between the lines

The rain is falling down, nothing new about that
And the wind sends catspaws o’er the water

Big Ideas

They come when you’re shopping in the middle of the store
They come when you’ve eaten and you want some more
You find ‘em in the garden when you’re digging in the dirt
They jump from the wrinkles when you iron your shirt

They’re there with your dinner in a glass of chardonnay
Floatin’ in your coffee when you start your day
They hop into bed when you turn out the light
They pull off your covers in the middle of the night

Big ideas – whatcha gonna do
Big ideas – can you make ‘em come true
Big ideas – the time does fly
Pull up the bucket, the well never runs dry

They drift like a seed on helicopter wings
They hitch a little ride on the voice that sings
They roar into town like a Harley on a roll
Take up residence in your soul

Big ideas…

Hey, look at Bill, he had himself a dream
Visions in his head flowing out like a stream
Packed up the car, put his family in a basket
Drove ‘em all north till they landed in Tonasket

Big ideas…

It’s on your mind, it burns like fire
A little daydream takes you higher
Add some water and set it in the sun
Feed it with your love till the dream gets done

Big ideas, whatcha gonna do
Big ideas, Einstein had a few
Big ideas, better give ‘em a try
Pull up the bucket, the well never runs dry

You’ll never run out of big ideas

Campfire In My Guitar

Monday afternoon in the city
The sun is shining on Seattle town
The trucks and buses stop beneath my window
The drawbridge opens up and settles down
I look out and I see a different scenery
Than the last 2000 miles from my car
This place doesn’t feel like it belongs to me
Did I wander off this time too far?
And I still smell the campfire in my guitar

Interstate 10, El Paso
Albuquerque, Kingman, Bakersfield
Somehow my car kept driving northward
Though memories, they tried to turn the wheel
I did my laundry in Las Cruces
Washed all the woodsmoke from my clothes
But you can’t wash away the good times
They keep on smelling like a rose
And that’s something my guitar already knows

Guess I should put my tent and stove away
And pick up all those things left in a heap
Make up the bed and find my pillow
And let the city sing me off to sleep

In the middle of the night as I lay dreaming
I’ll catch myself a falling star
And when I waken in the morning
The door of my dreams will stand ajar
And I’ll still smell the campfire in my guitar

Cassiopeia

Nighthawks glide in the darkness
The city lights far from their flight
A cloud silhouette hangs far to the west
Above us the clear spring sky

Cassiopeia, dance with Orion tonight
Cassiopeia, with the silvery light in your eyes

Hardly a car on the highway
And hardly a light on the road
Just the ruby shine of coyote eyes
And the midnight stars all aglow

Cassiopeia…

Somewhere east of Othello
I saw her black velvet gown
Strewn with thousands of rhinestones
And the North Star there in her crown

Cassiopeia…

Orion is the bold hunter
A sword of three stars he does bear
He beckons the lady to come to his side,
“Your Majesty, rise from your chair…”

Cassiopeia…

Cassiopeia, you’ll be dancing tonight

December Light

December light
As soft as snowflakes in the night
Singing a gentle lullaby
While the Cold Moon’s rising in the sky

December light
Is like a bird just taking flight
Winging as quiet as a dove
Bringing its gift of peace and love

So we’ll decorate the tree
And make a place for you and me
Where we can share the darkest night’s
December light

December light
Might cast a shadow in the night
Bringing back a melancholy song
From when you stayed away too long

And now that light
Makes every evening feel so right
To snuggle with the one you love
And trust you’ll always have enough

So we’ll…

December light
A blazing yule log shining bright
Garlands of juniper and pine
Holly and mistletoe so fine

And with that light
Each resolution that we write
Brings us a new year of rebirth
With highest hopes for all the earth

So we’ll…

So let’s gather round the tree
There’s a place for you and me
And together we will be
December light

Dulcimer Moon

The moon sings a song so sweet
Stars are humming along
Night is dancing at our feet
To the gentle song

Bring your dulcimer outside
Get yourself in tune
We can gaze at the sky so wide
While we back up the moon, so –

Meet me tonight when the air is cool
Play a tune while the moon is full
You take the melody, I’ll take the drone
Way more fun than playing alone
What d’ya say, I’ll see you soon
Under the dulcimer moon

Time is precious every day
Save enough for yourself
Don’t throw your dreams away
Take them off the shelf

You work all week, it wrings you dry
TV puts you to sleep
Make your music your lullabye
And you’ll be counting sheep, so –

Meet me tonight…

Some we knew are off and gone
With the angel band
But their melodies live on
Playing through our hands

So take your dulcimer off the wall
There’s no time to lose
Pour out your tunes like a waterfall
When it calls you, don’t refuse

Meet me tonight…

What d’ya say, we’ll meet real soon
Under the dulcimer moon

The Edge

There’s an edge out here, I’ve been trying to walk it
A story to tell, I’ve been trying to talk it
Facing into the wind all the day
You can get a little weary climbing this way

There’s an edge out here, my feet are tender
The path is rough but the view is pure splendor
Nothing given to lean upon,
I plant my feet carefully, steadily on

And sometimes you have to give all that you’ve got
To stare down your fear
But all the lessons you have learned
Have brought you safely here

There’s an edge out here, a ridge of stone
You could come, but I walk it alone
And just when I think it’s time for an end
This old mountain becomes an old friend

And there’s something to say for the sun in your face
For working so hard to get to this place
Lightning strikes, but you hate to go down
It’s hard to return to a life in some town

There’s an edge out there, and one time I crossed it
Such an amazement, I never have lost it
And when I start to lose heart for the rest of the trail
I remember that day when my heart did not fail

There’s an edge out here, I’m trying to walk it
A story to tell, I’ve been trying to talk it
Facing into the wind all the day
You get a little stronger, climbing this way

From an Earlier Time

Oh, can you imagine back 500 years
The Shawnee and Iroquois travelled through here
Hunting for food when survival was hard
You can still find their arrowheads in your backyard

And can you quite picture a man all alone
Who lived in a cave in the shadow of stone
Steven Hart was a loner, he never sought fame
But the creeks in these mountains still carry his name

People and places are here, then they’re gone
The changes are many but they come one by one
Photos and memories keep them in mind
Oh, tell me your tales from an earlier time

There once was a raftsman named Jupiter Fry
They gave him his name ‘cause he loved the night sky
In the days of big timber, his log rafts would float
As he rode them and steered them down the wild Guyandotte

And in 19 and 7 the railroad came through
To carry the rest of the poplar that grew
The oldest and tallest of trees were cut down
And milled in a timber camp known as Stringtown

People and places…

Miss Emeritt Adkins was living in Leet
The Guyan and Coal River train only feet from her porch
When a brakesman attempted to flirt
So she raised up her shotgun and riddled his shirt

A door to door peddler with goods on his back
Would sell to the folks who lived up from the tracks
He saved quite a fortune from the things that he sold
And somewhere up Laurel Fork buried his gold

People and places…

Oh, there’s so much to tell you, but this song must end
I’ve treasured the hours I spent with my friends
Hearing stories from their lives and their childhood
Where schoolhouses, sawmills and depots once stood

There’s a photo of Stringtown, the wood piled high
A story of northern lights crossing the sky
There’s a picture of the postman making rounds on a mule
And off in the holler, an old one-room school

People and places…

Write them and tell them to keep them in mind
And we’ll pass down your stories from an earlier time

Full Snow Moon

There’s a full Snow Moon coming up tonight
February fields are sleeping in her light
Just a few more hours till the day is done
And before you know it, we’ll have another one

No one knows where love goes
How it flows encircling you and me

There’s an open door you could walk right through
Is there anything that’s really stopping you?
If you had the chance, if you could not fail
Is there any mountain you could not scale?

Earth spins round, sun up, sundown
Heavenbound, each moment in your hand

Did you do your best? Did it make you smile?
Did you leave the rest to walk the crooked mile?
Did it bring you love? Did it break your heart?
Could you rise above and make a new start?

No one knows where life goes
The river flows forever to the sea

Ghost Stories

We were sitting around with the candle lit, it was late in the night
We couldn’t think of much to say but the flame, it flickered bright
Then we thought we heard a noise, so we looked but no one’s there
But when the chair rocked by itself, it gave us all a scare

Ooh, ooh, it could happen to you
People I know have seen ‘em too
My mom and dad both say it’s true about
The old ghost stories

Did you hear about the headless horseman down on piney bottom?
When you’d ride thru, he’d ride with you, but I heard the coal mine got ‘im
Did you hear about the little demon boy who surely was possessed?
His eyes glowed red and funny words he said and he never found his rest

Ooh, ooh…

My mamaw could read coffee grounds, she had that second sight
She could even invite an unseen guest to dinner at midnight
There’s a ghost at Harts High on the 2nd floor who moves the desks & chairs
He roams the halls in coveralls but you might not see him there

Ooh, ooh…

I hear thumping in the night
Please can we turn on the light
I don’t feel very sleepy
‘Cause these stories are so creepy

Didja hear about the boy up in Hartland who stands in the road at night?
Didja hear about the man at the Spry Cemetery who the devil asked to fight?
Didja hear about the boy who rode the calf to death?
Didja hear about the baby in the well?
Didja hear about the wedding in the graveyard or the ghost in Atenville?

Ooh, ooh…

I got a clue you know a few
So let’s tell some more ghost stories…

Good Road

(Matters of the Heart CD – ©1989 by Heidi Muller
Theme song of Inland Folk show, 1989-2019, on Northwest Public Radio)

It’s a calling, a strange compulsion
That makes us leave our homes taking music on the road
We can’t deny it, though we sometimes try it
It always haunts us if we hesitate to go

Good road, good road, I’m wishing you a good road
May your wheels always turn and may the sun light up your day
Good road, good road, I’m wishing you a good road
May you find your comfort in friends along the way

Kristina’s in Boston, she’s from California
Tim’s in California, he’s from out New Mexico way
And I’m in Tucson, I drove down from Seattle
When the gig is over, I’ll be off to Santa Fe

Good road…

Motel 6, Super 8, rest stops on the interstate
A futon at Linnaea’s and camping on the coast
Racking up those miles alone, keep in touch by telephone
It’s not an easy life but it’s the one we love the most

Good road…

Another highway, a new direction
Another place to sing at the end of the broken line
Another entrance, another exit
And endless memories of the places left behind

Good road…

Goodnight P-I

Who will blow the whistle? Who will place the call?
Who will wield the mighty pen that makes the mighty fall?
All across the nation, readers want to cry
For the passing of the era of the Seattle P-I

Now the Post-Intelligencer is a mouthful to say
But ever since 1863, it’s come out every day
Leftward in its leanings, scrappy in its view
Us little people always felt that paper told the truth

They helped the folks in Libby tell the world their plight
About asbestos in the soil and dying in the night
They gave their best to baseball, led the charge in ‘95
With tales of Randy, Ken and Jay that made us feel alive

Now who will blow…

I used to hang on every word of What’s Happening and Gene Stout
If there was a show or worthy cause, he’d help the locals out
One time I was astonished when he answered his own phone
The PI gave a voice to us, now we’re on our own

And driving through Seattle, I always loved the glow
Of the spinning neon PI globe from the streets below
It takes me back to another time, a simpler day and age
When you could drink your coffee with your news and turn it page by page

‘Cause who will…

Now my friend just sent a clipping from a P-I she had saved
They towed the great three-masted ship, Wawona, to her grave
What is it about Seattle? Is there no honor for her past?
A giant of a masthead now lies beside the mast

Now who will blow…

Last evening as the moon rose, and I laid down my head
For one last time the editors were putting her to bed
I thought I heard a lullabye out beyond the starry light…

Goodnight, P-I, goodnight…
Goodnight, P-I, goodnight…goodnight

Groundhog

Temperature is ten degrees
Icicles hang in the trees
There’s a stirring down below
A little fuzzy face thinks it’s time to see the snow

He doesn’t have a calendar, he doesn’t know what day it is
He doesn’t even know that everybody says today is his
He doesn’t have a radio, he doesn’t own a pair of shoes
He doesn’t know that he’ll be in our homes tonight on the TV news

One foot out and three feet in
Thinks he’ll go for a little spin
The sky is blue and bright,
He’ll need to take a minute while his eyes adjust to light

It’s been awful dark in there, hasn’t seen a soul for months
Puts his nose up in the air, takes a couple steps and grunts
Then he sees it on the ground, what it is he does not know
But it’s big and black and round, the groundhog’s shadow

He tucks his tail, his eyes get wide
In one quick move, he’s back inside
Too bad he’s in a fright
He could lose his shadow if he’d just look at the light

Oh, groundhog
Oh, groundhog

Gypsy Wind

I felt a gypsy wind come swirling through the window
It brushed across my skin and waved away the shadow
Told me tales of wagon camps
Fiddle tunes and fabled dance
It nearly left me in a trance
Touched by the wind, gypsy wind

I heard hoofbeats drum like rain against the window
Wild horses run like ghosts across the meadow
Bending shapes by firelight
Silhouettes sway in the night
A ruby passion burning bright
Touched by the wind, gypsy wind

It left me in a dream more real upon the waking
It changed my face and hands, and plans that I was making
Ancient voices in my soul
Whispered, “Give up your control”
I raised it up and let it go
Touched by the wind, gypsy wind

Highway is Calling

It’s a wide open country that carries you far
From the glare of the lights to the wink of a star
And the horse you imagine is just your old car
But she’s steady and ready to ride

So lay out your blanket and cinch up the strap
Sit tall in the saddle and fold up your map
Put your foot on the pedal, the wheel in your lap
Turns easy as you’re hitting your stride

‘Cause the highway is calling, the curtain is falling
There’s a new day dawning outside

Turn on the radio, take in the news
There’s songs from Mankato and talk in Belle Fourche
It’s a worthy companion when you turn yourself loose
On your trail across the Great Plains

And the western horizon welcomes you in
With coyot’s and antelope, elk and bison
The rise of the Tetons, the rush of the wind
You smile as you let our your reins

‘Cause the highway is calling, the curtain has fallen
And it’s miles that course through your veins

You’re chasing the sunset, hold onto the light
Before you pull off and bed down for the night
The twilight’s a rose with a star in her eye
The river’s a mirror that doesn’t ask why

So it’s north out of Jackson to Yellowstone Lake
Got friends at Old Faithful and pictures to take
And the Madison River’s a fine place to wake
And welcome the chill of the dawn

Then it’s up to I-90 and westward again
Over the Rockies and ‘round every bend from
Clark Fork to Coeur d’Alene, on to Spokane
It’s freedom that beckons you on

‘Cause the highway is calling, the curtain’s long fallen
And yesterday’s tethers are gone

Honey In My Tea

Running through the streets of Boston, singing in the snow
Wasn’t it good then, it was not so long ago
When we stood in line on Charles Street to sign up for the show
But that’s behind us, and I think I’ve come to know
That the times we spent together are like honey in my tea
I’m a part of you, and you’re a part of me

We have climbed up many mountains, we have driven many miles,
We’ve been together through the heartaches and the smiles
I can hear your crazy laughter on a dull, depressing day
And when I miss you, you’re really not that far away,
‘Cause the times we spent together are like honey in my tea
I’m a part of you, and you’re a part of me

Now you’ve gone ahead and married and I’m still out on my own
Sometimes it’s lonesome travelin’ down the road alone
Now I’m moving to Seattle, would you like to come along?
But I’ve forgotten, that’s the line to another song,
‘Cause the times we spent together are like honey in my tea
I’m a part of you, and you’re a part of me

Please forgive me if I show some separation anxiety
‘Cause I’m a part of you and you’re a part of me

Hummingbird

Tiny wings fluttering, buzzing and gone
Little streaks of mercury shine in the dawn
Green back, copper neck, tawny and red
Flying out of sight, was it something i said

Ooh, hummingbird
Ooh, hummingbird

Kinda like a falcon – packaged like a bee
Kinda like a beetle flying by at warp speed
Drives like a bullet, dives like a dart
Strikes like an arrow aimed straight at my heart

Ooh, hummingbird
Ooh, hummingbird
Ooh, hummingbird

Ride in on the wind on the first day of May
Leave in the fall with snow on the way
How many miles will your little wings beat?
All the way to Mexico, return and repeat

Ooh, hummingbird
Ooh, hummingbird
Ooh, hummingbird

I Don't Drive That Road Anymore

The days are getting shorter with the closing of the year
The wind is putting on a chill
Leaves of gold still cling to the trees
Trying not to fall, but you know they will

And how is it with you? Haven’t heard in awhile
Is the frost glistening at your door
Could you tell me how it is where you live
‘Cause I don’t drive that road anymore

Many an evening, I take out my map
And trace the lines from town to town
Dream of the forests and the mountains I have seen
And the wild rivers tumbling down

And how is it with you in your cabin on the hill,
Is there still a dirt road winding to your door?
Could you tell me how it is where you live,
‘Cause I don’t drive that road anymore
Ooh…

Oh, this life is winding down an endless white line
And sometimes it travels out your way
Sometimes your house is just over the ridge
But I don’t stop for fear I’d stay

And how is it with you, I’d still like to know
Do you still keep an open door?
Could you tell me how it is where you live,
‘Cause I don’t drive that road anymore
Ooh…

I Like Baseball

Summertime of ’61, every Saturday
I’d take my own Spaghettios for dinner and I’d stay
My granddad was a quiet man doing crosswords in the chair
But he’d become a rabid fan with baseball on the air

We listened to the radio, we watched it on TV
Can’t say I understood but it was magical to me
Especially the Yankees, we cheered their every move
And all those hours of Mickey Mantle finally would prove, that

I like baseball, I watch it on the tube
I buy my tickets at the Dome, go in and come unglued
I’ve been to Dodgers Stadium, seen the Sox at old Fenway, oh,
I like baseball even though I do not play

I had an uncle in New York who seemed to understand
One day he came to see us with presents in his hand
He gave me not your usual doll, but cast in plaster of Paris
His bobbing head upon a spring, my idol, Roger Maris

But we girls weren’t taught to throw the ball the way that pitchers do
No matter how I swung the bat, I only hit a few
Projectiles falling from the sky put fear into my heart
And too slow to run the bases well, it doomed me from the start

But I like baseball…
Even though I cannot play

However, can you tell me just who is to blame
That not since the ‘50’s have women played the game
If they’d get a decent commissioner, the first thing she should do
Is put is back in uniform and we’ll play hardball, too

‘Cause I like baseball…
Even though they won’t let us play

Someday I’ll be in heaven, or some such place above,
And at the end of my outstretched wing will be a fielder’s glove
I’ll be batting homers completely out of sight
Me and Randy Johnson, we’ll pitch at the speed of light

‘Cause I like baseball…
Even though I do not play, oh,
I like baseball even though I do not play

In Wallowa

Rivers and range land, rigs and four-wheelers
Redtails and cottonwoods, hounds and blue heelers
Glacial erratics, Terminal ale
Rodeos, sled dogs, magpies and quail

Red barns and grange halls, Tamkaliks powwow
Elk with new antlers thinks he’s a cow now
Roads off to nowhere, nowhere to go
Out in the county it’s blowing with snow

It’s hard but it’s worth it to live on this land
There’re no guarantees of a bird in the hand
We carve and we chisel, we plant and we plow
We’re sticking it out in Wallowa

Cowboys and Indians, Maxville and Promise
Hayfields and timber, Clydesdales and llamas
Trailheads and prayer flags up Hurricane Creek
Bowlby stone, trophy homes, century-old brick

Cattle and horses, canyons and prairie
Camas and bitterroot, wild huckleberry
Memories of Joseph, miners and gold
Ranch wives and woodstoves and winters so cold

It’s hard but it’s worth it…

No Starbucks, no WalMart, no traffic, no stoplights
No money, no worries, just stay out of bar fights
Neon and nightlife and finely-lit fountains
Can’t hold a candle to the moon on the mountains

There’s beauty in silence deep as the sky
Spirit and salmon and dreams you can’t buy
Friendship and fellowship, all here together
Through fire and drought, wind and fair weather

It’s hard but it’s worth it…

Jesse's Carol

It’s the time again in the city
When the stores are all open at night
The bright-shining star at the Bon Marche
Is hung from a five-story height
And the people crowd ‘round and fill up their arms
As the registers ring in the cash
While down in the Square you will find others there
Looking for food in the trash

It’s the time again in the city
When the neighborhoods take on a shine
Door decorations and colored lights
Bayberry, holly and pine
And the woodsmoke rises into the sky
As folks go out shopping for trees
While the ones who didn’t get to the mission tonight
Are hoping just not to freeze

It’s the time again in the city
When people are starting to smile
Carols are sung while stockings are hung
And children stay close all the while
And Jesse still stands at the corner of Fourth
With that faraway look in her eye
Lost and alone with no place to call home
And no reason left to try

It’s Christmas again in the city
Does anyone want to hear
The muttering wino who’s asking for change
Or the sound of the silent tear
While we stay warm and loved and fed
Thousands with no place to go
Are watching our world of holiday cheer
On the streets in the rain and the snow

Keep an Eye on the Moon

Tonight when the sun dropped down in the sky, it backlit the fields and farms
Venus and Mars sang a dark lullabye and gathered them into their arms
It’s a good time to walk your worries away and sing to yourself a new tune
If the answer you needed didn’t come through the day
Stand by, and keep an eye on the moon

Keep an eye on the moon, she’ll light up your way
She’ll lean down and listen to what you have to say
If your heart’s feeling empty, like a mother she’ll croon,
“Shine on through the night, you’ll be alright”
Keep an eye on the moon

The world keeps on spinning around and around, and time only turns a deaf ear
All that you’ve lost and all that you’ve found are fragile, and fleeting, and dear
It’s a time to remember the ones that you love and leave behind your cocoon
Bring what you have and come into the sun,
And tonight, keep an eye on the moon

Keep an eye on the moon, she’ll light up your way
She’ll lean down and listen to what you have to say
If you’re dancing with shadows in the late afternoon
Just give it awhile, you’ll feel her smile
Keep an eye on the moon

Waxing, waning, hidden or full
Her mystery, silent and white
Eclipses and changes, pushes and pulls
Hearts… tides… owls in flight

Somewhere away in a far-off land, a child stares into the fire
A tambourine jingles on an aged hand, bracelets and jewels to admire
It’s the oldest of melodies lingering low over the desert and dune
It sings to the stars what the grandmothers know
It’s wise to keep an eye on the moon

Keep an eye on the moon, she’ll light up your way
She’ll lean down and listen to what you have to say
If you’re wired and restless, she’ll tell you that soon
It’ll fade in her gaze, it’s only a phase
Keep an eye on the moon
Keep an eye on the moon

Last One to Go

I’ve got a favorite sweater and a pair of socks
An Eisenhower dollar in a metal box
Two puffin feet on an old green thread
A dozen books I haven’t read
I’ve got an old guitar, no make that three
Martin and Stella and the one in Jersey
She’s got no name but she’s still alive
We pulled her from the closet in ‘65

And that’s more than I can do for my memories of you
Though you nag me in the dark,
I won’t let you leave your mark

I’ve got a headlight cover from a car long gone
A photo of a South Dakota dawn
I’ve got a tent that will not keep me dry
No matter all the schemes I try
I’ve got a travel alarm that up and died
A macramé bottle with a fly inside
I pack ‘em up each time I move
Although my friends may disapprove

And that’s what I seem to do with my memories of you
You were safely packed away, but you’re back again today

Ain’t it funny what we lug around
Put your baggage and your burdens down

Of all the things that I could list
Here are some that I have missed
The smell of your hair on the pillowcase
The smile creases in your face
We fit so well, then not at all
The threads wore thin padding down the hall
An open door in the dead of night
Last one to go, turn out the light

And that’s what I’d like to do with my memories of you
I’d leave ‘em on the sill in a box marked Goodwill

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Little Black Tick

Goin’ out for a walk first day of spring
Up Hurricane Creek, hear the little birds sing
Oh… little black tick

Come off the mountain and I feel so grand
Then I see a little spider walking ‘cross my hand
Oh… little black tick

Little black tick, oh he feel so free
He just wanna run all over on me
Tired of climbing up grass all day
Looking for a warm place he can stay

When I get back home I start to itch
Peel off my clothes with a nervous twitch
Oh… little black tick

I brush my hair, I check my chin
Got a strange sensation all over my skin
Oh… little black tick

Little black tick…

When I finally get over feelin’ creepy
It’s time for bed, I’m feelin’ sleepy
Oh, little black tick

Then I wake up and what do I find
There’s a tick on my face, I’m outta my mind
Oh… little black tick

Little black tick…

Then my sweetie wakes up real self-assured
And he sends that tick to his great reward
Oh… little black tick

So if you go walkin’ up Hurricane Crick
You’d better watch out for the little black tick
Oh… little black tick
Oh… little black tick
Oh… little black tick

Long Winter's Night

The sun is setting on the year
It’s time to pack away
Garden tools and summer jewels
And love that didn’t stay

Count your blessings, one and all
And bid the year adieu
Winter’s waiting at the door
It’s best you let him through

So build a fire, catch a spark
Light a candle in the dark
Settle in and rest awhile
On this long winter’s night

Gather all your efforts in
You scattered on the tide
However they return to you
With your arms open wide

Alder, oak and sycamore
Are stripped down to the skin
And reaching up with empty arms
They welcome back the wind

So build a fire…

When the ridges and the mountain peaks
Take on a bluish glow
That rises up to kiss the moon
Reflected on the snow

Then comes the time of year again
To watch your candles burn
And let the earth regenerate
Until the light returns

So build a fire…

Looking for You

I went looking for you but I couldn’t find you
In the streets of the city, in the heat of the day
And the wind was blowing lonely
My heart was calling your name
And I knew that you weren’t there but just the same

I went looking for you, it turned into a hobby
Something I could do in my leisure time
So I went to all the parties, but no one knew your name
And I didn’t find you and I didn’t know who to blame

So I tried looking, pretending I wasn’t
I was very aloof, taking care of myself
But my nights were getting lonely, I did not call your name
And finally I started to think, I don’t like this game

So I stopped looking, and darned if I didn’t find you
Sitting under a tree, right in front of my face
And I guess you’d always been there, and suddenly I knew
You don’t have to look for love when it looks for you,
It comes looking for you

Lost and Found

I am an entry in your journal
I am a boat run aground
I am the tire tracks forty miles away
Etched on the edge of your town

I am the face in the mirror
I am the words on the page
I am the memory crossing your mind
Against the lights of rage

And I was not the first to go there
Nor was I first in line to leave
Returning only by light of day
Not willing to deceive

I am the moon on the mountain
I am the haze in the sky
I am the foothold you won’t try again
I am your alibi

And you were not the first to notice
But you were not the last in line
Trying only by light of day
To know me by design

I am the days getting longer
I am a seed in the ground
I am the reason you can’t fall asleep
I am the lost and found

Mama, You're Always There

Silver hair, eyes of blue
Easy smile that watches you
Like a light across the room
Oh, Mama you’re always there

When I wander far away
You’re still with me every day
So don’t worry when I stray
‘Cause Mama, you’re always there

From New Jersey up to Maine
People often speak her name
Though she has no gold or fame
Oh, Mama, she’s always there

It’s the love that lights her eyes
It’s the years that make her wise
It’s her laughter and surprise
Oh, Mama, she’s always there

So don’t worry about your age
Just keep filling every page
Be the lover and the sage
Oh, Mama, you’re always there
Oh, Mama, you’re always there

Matters of the Heart

In matters of the heart, the way’s not always clear
We step out with the greatest hope and fall back with the greatest fear
In matters of the heart, it’s sometimes hard to know
When to reach out, when to hold back, when to let it go

Are you looking for a love, are you looking for a friend?
Are you looking for a way to rise above it and start all over again?
Will it be all or nothing, or somewhere in between?
Will you take another chance and say the things you mean?

In matters of the heart…

I’m all excited, I’m all confused
I can’t read your body language and now I’ve got the blues
Well, what am I supposed to do when my heart is on the line?
Should I hold it out to you and will I leave a piece behind?

In matters of the heart…

Do you feel the chemistry or is it only me?
Should I bring it up with you, or simply wait and see?
It takes a little courage to speak right from the heart
The fear of falling trips us up before we start

In matters of the heart…

Mesilla

I dream of open spaces from my city kitchen table
All I hear is traffic going by
I dream about the summer
Heat pouring through the windshield
Breeze through the window, hair in my eyes

If tickets didn’t cost money, I’d be flying in on Friday
Catch some silver wing across the sky

The road to old Mesilla is a bumpy, narrow highway
A dusty, hot and dry way past arroyos and pecan trees
The cracked and weathered floorboards
The white walls and the red doors
Creak and sway for eternity

If tickets didn’t cost money, I’d be flying in on Friday
Seeking out your company

I’ll write myself a river that cuts across this wide land
Its reflection in my hand will flash me your smile
We’ll listen to the wind blow the song of Picacho
And walk together down another mile

If tickets didn’t cost money, I’d be flying in on Friday
Watch the world with you awhile

My Barista

I live in the capitol city of an Appalachian state
Searching for espresso from early till late
I came from Seattle, always had my pick
Of coffee bars on every corner, now I could use a fix, where

My barista knows what I like
My barista makes it just right
I see my dreams in clouds of steam rise in style
My barista serves it with a smile

Down at the Market between the stores and cafes
I spied a macchiato and a double latte
There was my barista, brewing up the bean
Smiling Krista, she’s the queen of caffeine

My barista…

Go to work on Monday, feel a little blue
Get a mocha grande, adjust my attitude
Check the board tomorrow for the special of the day
Ethiopian French roast, raspberry crème brûlée

My barista…

My Old Cat

My old cat was born down South
The climate got her down
She saw me coming a mile away and said,
“Woman, get me out of this town!”

My old cat, my old cat
Not your average Democrat, my old cat

My old cat never tied the knot
Single all her life
Tomcat Charlie came to court but she
Wouldn’t be any Tom’s wife

My old cat, my old cat
Hop on up, let’s have a chat, my old cat

My old cat’s no travelin’ gal
She ain’t no socialite
She’d rather read the books I read
And sit on the letters I write

My old cat, my old cat
Not too skinny, not too fat, my old cat

My old cat’s a wise one
You can see it in her eyes
When Dear Abby’s in a jam
She calls her for advice

My old cat, my old cat
Now, why do you look at me like that? My old cat

My old cat’s a hundred years old
She might be a hundred and ten
And when she comes back in another life
I’ll bring her on home again

My old cat, my old cat
Tiger face in a Siamese hat, my old cat

November

November is that month between
Turkey Day and Halloween
Jack-o-lanterns lose their teeth
When November comes to call

High school football going strong
Sunny days don’t last too long
Coats and sweaters hold their breath
As we hold onto fall

Blue sky gone gray
Snap in the air
Cold feet, wool socks
Long underwear

November is that time of year
For flannel shirts and homemade beer
Leather gloves and bamboo rakes
And cleaning up the yard

Summer birds are off and flown
Halfway to their vacation homes
Up in the mountains, bears all know
A change is in the cards

Blue sky, gone gray…

A killing frost will make its mark
Some quiet evening after dark
Bring those late tomatoes in
They’ll ripen on the sill

Later on, there’ll come a day
The sky an eerie whitish-gray
No more leaves to break our fall
Down winter’s icy hill

Blue sky, gone gray…

November is that month between
Turkey Day and Halloween
Jack-o-lanterns lose their teeth
When November comes to call

Jack-o-lanterns lose their teeth
When November comes to call

Palouse Lullaby

From Dusty to Tekoa on the Idaho line
Green velvet hills lie in silent design
Crazy quilt ribbons of yellow and brown
Run over the hillsides and circle around
Where the swirl of the colors meets the black of the sky
Coyotes are singing a Palouse lullaby

The daylight of summer is slipping away
Shadows of autumn are starting to play
It’s time to gather the crops from the field
And care for the hills that render the yield
And tonight when the moon hangs still in the sky
The wind will be singing a Palouse lullaby

Heading out early on 195
The tractors are running and the hills come alive
Cattails are swaying by the side of the road
A hay truck is hauling a full, heavy load
And tonight when the farmers are closing their eyes
They’ll drift off to sleep to a Palouse lullaby

These rollercoaster hills will hold you
Safe in their arms till the morning

So rise up early and look to the land
A tribute to patience and a farmer’s rough hands
You tend to your dreams like a plow to the soil
And reap the good harvest, a reward for your toil
And tonight when the shadows are crossing the sky
You’ll drift off to sleep to a Palouse lullaby

Paradise and Puget Sound

You’ve lived here all of your life
In this city ‘tween the water and the wind
Now I don’t what it is that you’ve been missing
But you’re talking ‘bout leaving again

Now I know it happens all of the time
People get restless for change
Sometimes it’s for the love of a dollar in their glove
Sometimes just to be alone somewhere strange

But if your heart’s set on going,
I won’t stand in your way
‘Cause I’ve traveled far myself, and I know the feeling
It’s just that I’ve found somewhere to stay

So if you get all the right breaks
You might just become a big star
And if you meet all the right people
Well, you know, you might even find out who you are

But when you get tired of New York
And you find yourself turning to stone
You’ll watch the sun die in the western sky
And ride a song all the way home

And when you get to returning
I’ll be easily found
Somewhere between the water and the wind
‘Tween Paradise and Puget Sound

Real Change

There’s a lamppost on Second Avenue
And I see you standing there every month or two
You don’t stay there any longer than it takes to sell your wares
But I’ve always taken notice of your being there
And it’s a living for a day or two or three
What you do the other thirty matters not to me
Or should I say it didn’t matter before I knew your name
Now people on the street don’t look the same
I fumbled for my wallet, I was just another stranger
Stopping on the street to buy a Real Change

There’s a building on Third Avenue
And I go there every day like I’ve promised to
I traded in my freedom for a paper guarantee
I offer up my hours for a salary
And it’s a living, though I worry that my dreams
Got lost in the bargain, that’s the way it seems
But that’s more than I mentioned when I handed you my bill
You said, “Care to help the homeless?” and I said, “I will”
And I handed you my fiver, I didn’t feel too much pain
As you counted out your ones and gave me real change

The wind was blowing chilly down the avenue
And though I’ve often passed you by, I walked right up to you
I knew that I was tired when I asked you for your name
Then I said it didn’t matter, no, it’s all the same
You said “David,” touched your badge
I said I’ve seen you here before
I come down every night, I walk right by this store
It was over in a moment, and I left, but even yet
There was a look on your face that I can’t forget
I just stopped to buy a paper, it was just a brief exchange
But ever since I left I’ve felt a real change

Endless faces on the street
Avoiding gazes, never meet
But each of us has an equal claim
To stand up straight and speak our name

Now I walk across your corner and it’s empty in the rain
You must’ve sold all your papers, that would explain it
But while you’re walking through the city on a rope without a net
There’s a stranger knows your name and she won’t forget
For you see, it really matters, there’s no two of us the same
I thank you for the paper and the real change

Rising Dawn

How many times have you entered my thoughts
In the last week or two?
And how many times have I spoken your name
That still sounds so new?
Your voice lingers on in a corner of my mind
And brings me some comfort when you’re gone
Did you see the light in the sky this morn?
Was it just the rising dawn?

How many times have I given my heart
On the wings of a song?
How many times have I made a new start
That didn’t last very long?
A voice lingers on in a corner of my mind
That tells me my love will come around
So what was that light in the sky tonight?
Just the blazing sun gone down

How many times has the moon drawn up
The highest tides from the low?
And how many springs have the crocuses
Pushed up their heads through the snow?
Your face lingers on in a corner of my mind
And something in your voice rings true
Did you see the light in the sky this morn’?
Are you sure it wasn’t you?
I could’ve sworn that it was you

Sacred Ground

All the places I have been, I treasure in my mind
Orbiting my restless wind, they were never left behind
Friends have taken different roads and scattered from this place
But no matter where they go, I cherish every face
Until there comes a time when we will turn around
And meet again on sacred ground

Joseph left his father’s land, never to return
Driven by the white man’s hand and by his brothers spurned
But roots still reach thru ancient loam where singing is long gone
Spirits call the children home to hear the welcome song
Until there comes a time when they will turn around
And gather again on sacred ground

All that passed before us, all that lies ahead
Forms the fabric of our lives, woven thread to thread
Tales told, songs of old, the ringing of a bell
Bring us back to what we know and what is left to tell

Tonight beneath the starry bowl, the wind is whispering warm
To comfort all those southern souls evicted by the storms
In my heart the table’s set for Thanksgiving Day
And every wanderer, wandering yet, will have a place to stay
Until there comes a time when we will turn around
And stand again on sacred ground

Until there comes a time when we will turn around
And stand as One on sacred ground

Sending Us Home

The sun is down, our sails are furled
Long may we sing
Peace is settling on the world
Circling the world, oh
Velvet sky a-light with stars
Dreams on the wing
Sending us home, sweet home

What a lovely time we’ve had
Long may we sing
Friend to friend, our hearts are glad
Circling the world, oh
Voices lifted up as one (with)
Dreams on the wing
Sending us home, sweet home

All the blessings we have shared
Long may we sing
Spiral upward through the air
Circling the world, oh
Guide us safely through the night (with)
Dreams on the wing
Sending us home, sweet home

And as we all are homeward bound
Long may we sing
Soon enough we’ll turn around
Circling the world, oh
May our paths all cross again (with)
Dreams on the wing
Bringing us home, sweet home

Seeing Things

I know this place, the houses and the land
And these backroads like the back of my hand
But I left and I was long away
And now I’m back I have to say it’s strange, the changes life brings
But when I drive around, I’m seeing things

Oh, I see things where they are no more
A patch of woods, a cabin door
Gone like winter into spring
Oh, I see things with wiser eyes
But still it takes me by surprise
How time has sent them on the wing
It sounds crazy, but I’m seeing things

On that grassy spot back down the hill a mile
I see the little brick church I knew as a child
The Christmas tree by candlelight
Stille Nacht and Silent Night, back in 1963
Now the German church is just a memory

Oh, I see things where they are no more
Mom and Pop and the hardware store
Gone like winter into spring
Oh, I see things with wiser eyes
But still it takes me by surprise
How time has sent them on the wing
It sounds crazy, but I’m seeing things

At the crossroads on the way out of town
I see Murderers’ Bridge before they took it down
It’s filled in now and the timbers tossed
And with it there’s a story lost, of the men once buried there
But it’s nicer now and who would care?

Oh, I see things no longer real
An old stone mill, a water wheel
Gone like winter into spring
Oh, I see things with wiser eyes
But still it takes me by surprise
How time has sent them on the wing
It sounds crazy, but I’m seeing things

Those houses that you see on open land
Were put up where the cornfields used to stand
Funny, I still expect to see dairy farms and apple trees
Who will feed us in the end?
Does anybody look around the bend?

Oh, I see things where they are no more
A silo and a red barn door,
Gone like winter into spring
Oh, I see things with wiser eyes
But still it takes me by surprise
How time has sent them on the wing
It sounds crazy, but I’m seeing things

Oh, I see things that are no more
It sounds crazy but I’m seeing things

Snowdance

The snow is blowing, the wind won’t quit
Drifts are shifting ‘round the yard
These are not your common snowflakes that just land and sit
They grab their life and love it hard

They swirl and skitter, they don’t need to know
Where they’re bound and who they’ll meet
They’ve got a little life at three below
They’ll take it dancing in the street

Every snowflake is falling like the rest
Every one its own design
There ain’t no scrapping about who is the best
Frankly, they don’t have the time

And all these snowflakes don’t talk about their god
If they pray at all it’s to stay cold
They’re too busy living to put up a façade
They don’t have a word for old

The snow is blowing, I should get up and go
With deadlines drawing ever near
The way it’s going with these flakes out in the road
They’re gonna try and keep me here

Lay down that pencil, put on your boots
Come join us in this elegance
Work when it’s warmer on your trivial pursuits
Lady, may I have this dance?

Snowdrops

The moon is full above the snowy hills of Sullivan County
A young girl walks out to the barn and gazes at its beauty
Sometimes she says you’ll see its face reflected from the hillside
When ice adorns the field like lace in the silence of the nighttime

She lives here with her family in a white house mid the pine trees
The winter days are cold and gray, she’s yearning for a warm breeze
And then one morning unforeseen, she spies below the hilltop
Those sparkling bells of white and green, the spring’s first flower, the snowdrop

As years went on she kept the farm, she lived there for a lifetime
Till illness forced her from her home and her friends became a lifeline
And every year at winter’s end, at life and love’s resuming
She had but one request my friend, to see her snowdrops blooming

The old white house is standing still below the lilac bower
The full moon rises on the hill deep in the midnight hour
And Annie left her legacy of snowdrops o’er the hillside
For anyone who longs to greet the coming of the springtime

Sometime Next Summer

There are places in the distance that my eyes have never seen
Lately they call to me like some long forgotten dream
The urge to follow gets stronger every day
And sometime next summer, I’ll sail away.

I’ve lived in this city now, perhaps too many years
I’ve let it tame my wilder side and I’ve bought into its fears
For years, my one desire was to have a place to stay
But sometime next summer, I’ll sail away

My final destination doesn’t matter anymore
Somehow it’s more important just to leave the safety of the shore

When autumn winds are blowing and the rains of winter fall
I’ll give my mind and body to the answer of the call
The dimly lit reflection is brightening every day
And sometime next summer I’ll sail away

Off to the world that lies beyond the Sound
Feeling the motion of the floating ground

So watch when the clouds are forming and the gulls rise up to soar
The wind and water call my name, I won’t stay here anymore
What brought me to this, I really cannot say
But sometime next summer I’ll sail away

Next summer I’m bound to sail away

Stitchery Song

I live in a sea of embroidery floss
It carries me softly away
Beyond the horizon of profit and loss
I drift like a bird in the breakers and spray

I take out my canvas and sort out my thread
Indigo, aqua, magenta and red
I thread up my needle and lay the first stitch
And tighten it down with a hitch

I spend my days in a cubicle space
17 floors from the street
With deadlines and Dilbert and rats in a race
But when I get home, I put up my feet

And I take out my canvas and sort out my thread…

Well, there is a rhythm and there is a plan
As my needle rises and falls
Our prayers and our promise all flow through our hands
And every night the unfinished piece calls

So I take out my canvas and sort out my thread…

Well, Christmas is coming, it comes all year long
It’s never too early to start
There’re birthdays and babies and friends with a song
And every stitch brings them close to your heart

So I take out my canvas and sort out my thread…

I live in a sea of embroidery floss
Needlepoint, cross-stitch and crewel
It gently and silently floats me across
The dark and the deep on the wings of renewal

So I take out my canvas and sort out my thread…

Oh, I start all my dreams with a stitch

Sycamore

I climbed beyond a mountain ridge
The sky was grey and blue
I happened on an old log bridge that carried me to you
Dancing feet and a fiddle and bow, I felt you passing through
Two young lovers long ago, when your love was new

And I think of you, I think of you
Footfalls on the forest floor, I think of you

I walked up to the tallest oak and found a ring of stones
Thought I caught a whiff of smoke that shivered in my bones
Blossoms on the cherry tree, a lilac soft in bloom
The scent of sweetness came to me for you, the bride and groom

And I think of you, I think of you
Heart carved in the sycamore, I think of you

Hark now, hear the cannon roar and footsteps on the path
Peaceful times they are no more, the sword is drawn in wrath
What grew as one is cut in two, the twining torn apart
As crimson stained the gray and blue in this bleeding of the heart

And I think of you, I think of you
Footsteps running on the forest floor, I think of you

A sycamore stands solitary, towering o’er the pine
Where gentle lovers John and Mary crossed the borderline
For when the rebels reached the farm, he said he would not go
And Mary would not leave his arm, and their blood together flowed

And I think of you, I think of you
Silence on the forest floor, I think of you

A heart was cut into the bark with Johnny’s bowie knife
The tree has grown around the mark, its edges soft as life
A hundred years and forty more have passed into this age
May lovers still stand up to war as history turns the page

And I think of you, I think of you
Your dancing feet on the forest floor, I think of you
I think of you, I think of you
Your hearts together ever more

Talk a Little Texan

Talk a little Texan to me, darlin’
Oh, whisper it in my ear
You know my socks roll up and down whenever you are near
Here I am so far from home, my resistance is low
So talk a little Texan to me, darlin’, nice and slow

When you talk a little Texan to me, darlin’
I forget what I was gonna say
I melt down just a little, wasn’t going anywhere anyway
Can’t you see what you do to me, you sweep me off of my feet
When you talk a little Texan to me, darlin’, it’s sweet

Don’t be surprised if I call you up
When I’m not feeling right
I need a dose of that Texas talk
To help me get through the night

So talk a little Texan to me, darlin’
‘Cause I like what it does to me
Makes my 98.6 jump to 101.3
Don’t ask why, don’t be shy, I’m relying on you
To talk a little Texan to me, darlin’, please do

Don’t be surprised…

Yes, it’s true, I mean you
Don’t you dare leave my sight
Till you talk a little Texan to me, darlin
Talk a little Texan to me, darlin’
Oh, talk a little Texan to me, darlin’
That’s right

This Much I Know

There is, I know, a state of grace
That meets us as we run the race
A helping hand, an angel wing
A steady arm, a song to sing

In every heart there is a voice
That whispers as we make our choice
It points us to the stars at night
For we possess no lesser light

I have dreamed a dream, I have walked on fire
I have raised my face to my heart’s desire
I have gone alone where I could not go
There’s a greater life, this much I know

I carry a prism and a stone
A Spanish bead, an oyster’s bone
A rattler’s tail, a bag of skin
They help me out when I fall in

I walk with you who lent to me
Your confidence for being free
You travel with me down this road
Your spirits lighten up the load

I have dreamed a dream…

The smoke of spirit rises still
When coals are cold we have the will
To finish up what we’ve begun
To dance beneath the rising sun

God and Goddess, time and space
Hold us in this sacred place
We spiral upward toward the light
We practice taking back the night

I have dreamed a dream…

Traveler

Come, weary traveler, to the end of the road
Lay down your burden, lighten your load
Winds at your back have tired of the chase
Left you to pray at the stations of grace

Glint on the water, hawk in the air
Lift up your eyes to see what is there
Crags of greenstone rise from the sand
Moon and moraine at the edge of the land

The shoulders of Joseph carry the sky
He is no stranger to pain
Calling for justice, forever his cry
Rolls through the thunder and rain

Rest in the twilight in safety and peace
Open your hand and feel the release
Mountains of mercy are bringing you ‘round
Take back your dreams with your feet on the ground

Voice of Love

There’s a voice that calls in the deepest silence
Like a footstep falls on a forest trail
It’ll lead the way, though you barely hear it
It’ll have its say, that you will not fail, if you
Follow the voice of love

There’s a dream you feel when the day is quiet
You can make it real with every seed you sow
It’ll call your name till you turn to hear it
You won’t be the same, it’ll start to show, when you
Follow the voice of love
Follow the voice of love

I can hear it on the wind
Timeless spirit deep within
Reaching out to let me know
As above, it is below

There is only one, though we look like many
When our work is done, every piece aligned
We will see the art, we will know the story
We all play a part in the grand design, when we
Follow the voice of love, follow the voice of love
Follow the voice of love

Winter Goodbye

It’s a Monday night in March, the rain has turned to snow
The buds are on the trees and the green has begun to show
Winter is waning but he hates to say goodbye
He comes to sing us one last time, his stormy lullabye

And as he takes his leave, he loosens his hold
On all who would escape the darkness and the cold
The world is ever turning in a circle ‘round the sun
And what we thought was lost is once again begun

The world is dusted white beyond my window pane
And soon will come the light to show us spring again
The coming of tomorrow means the melting of the snow
A time for new beginnings, a time of letting go

The coming of tomorrow means the melting of the snow
A time for new beginnings, a time of letting go

You're the Sun

You’re the sun in my sky
You’re the moon that rises in my darkest night
Like the shooting stars on high
You make everything shine bright

How I found you, I’ll never know
It’s a mystery to be sure
But the gentle winds between us
Will dance forevermore

And you’re the sun in my sky…

The power that knows our deepest hearts
Has called us to be one
In beauty, strength and harmony,
The music has begun

And you’re the sun in my sky…

The road that stretches on before
Will take us, we know not where
The light to lead us through the storms
Will be the love we share

And you’re the sun in my sky…