Grist for the Malady Mill

Rabbit fled, best guess, toward home

Fox & Bear toward Yellowstone

Walrus, north to the border towns

Peacock swayed like a reed on the fence a while

(with a stalwart sense of style!)

as the policemen’s nets came down

Word of the crash had spread fast and spread far

From Clark’s Fork to Blackfoot Reservoir

more grist for the malady mill

Shepherd the Southwest wind,

"railspikes ripped like the seam of a wineskin"

Shepherd the Northwest rain,

"Brass Hat slept at the helm of that woeful train…

Ain’t it an awful shame!

And don’t it just break your heart to hear of so much

pain?"

Casey Jones walked slow to the prison cell

His face held hard as a scallop shell

[CONDUCTOR:] "Well, I wish I wished you well,

but your last friend on Earth now calls

from the silent side of the cemetery walls

your great cause to the moths and the rust!"

[ELEPHANT (Fanning her ears with a calm in her eyes):]

"It’s the laws of cause and effect that you criticize

But sir, criticize them you must"

Three miles more ‘til Flagstaff

Follow behind signs toward Badger Pass

Wound like clocks around fretboards

Carved out hands in our basswood body guitars -

borrowed guitars (borrowed hands!)

I’m clearly not as handsome or caring as what you seem

to want,

but I’d gladly walk you home,

‘cause those streets can be dangerous

Shepherd the Southwest wind,

"railspikes ripped like the seam of a wineskin"

Shepherd the Northwest rain,

"frog switch slipped and that reckless beast is to

blame

Ain’t it an awful shame!

And don’t it just break your heart to hear of so much

pain?"