Lookouts Gone Down
Born of smoke and fire glow
In those blazing summers of long ago
Little mountaintop pagodas
Wooden cabs with cute cupolas
Guardians of the grand Sequoia
Douglas fir and ponderosa
Where vigil kept with eagle eyes
Spotted smokes of wildland fires
Called the word to those below
When lightning arced in brilliant bolts
Around the face of Roman Nose
Raven Roost and Sugarloaf
And oh those names played magic games
Roamed my mind and called my name
Called me up to Sleeping Beauty
Pyramid, Sun Top and Tyee
Wounded Doe and Bumblebee
Curly Bear and Chickadee
But a silence slow descending
Told me of an era ending
And I wander in despair
Searching ridges wind-swept bare
Little houses once sat there
They all have vanished into the air
Tell me, where is Bonnet Top
Three Brothers and Three Corner Rock
I can find no sign or trace
Of Porcupine or Dirty Face
Bunker Hill lies in disgrace
Just memories to mark their place
Now the wind blows eerily
Through the ghosts of their debris
Through charcoal rails and melted glass
Rusted nails and powder ash
No Sourdough or Stampede Pass
Timberwolf or Looking Glass
I'll take the trail to Termination
Tramp the dust of Desolation
Dollar Watch and Devils Dome
Noble lookouts long gone down
They were up when I was young
Sunrise, Clear West and Setting Sun
Copyright © Jim Holcomb | Year Posted 2018
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