The Westward Trail

How fast does the river flow Michael? How deep and wide did you say? The wagon need to cross this river And cross it not tomorrow but today The summer will soon turn to autumn And the axes are sharpened and honed And mama is needing somewhere to rest And that somewhere is mama’s new home So cross the river with care son And tell us rather come or stay Remember to hold to that saddle Or that river will wash you far away Then when we’re across that river Find some wood so a fire we will start For mama is still carrying that baby That she holds so dear to her heart I know you once where the youngest And had all that love shown your way But now that she’ll soon have another You may as well forget it, hear what I say? There, bring us that old felled tree son And we’ll start a fire to cook our meal And after we’ve eaten our share son We’ll grease and tighten the wagon wheels For Montana is not all that far now A week, maybe half again you know So make sure there’s wind in your lungs son As you holler and let us know where to go There, I see the grand Tetons Majestic and calling out our name Ride hard in the saddle toward them I hear there’s sweet water and game That was years ago dear reader That we crossed that great divide back then With rain ripping out it’s frenzy In the bitter battering wind But will power won this rat race And home sweet home we finally built Then hunted the mountainous regions For bear or whatever for quilts A ride of more than a day and a half Just to get bigger game if we need But as for now we sit and rest a while Then plant early in the ground some seed No need to ride hard in the wind now Home sweet home, yep keeps us warm And two Hawken’s with bullets abounding Keeps this family safe from harm