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