Madness of the Plague (La Follia Della Peste) Sing now all together,  As plague takes its measure, Too late do we tarry, To love and to hold. The moon casts its blessing O’er last breaths, caressing Our villagers and pilgrims, And time wasters all, Uncertainty beckons, As morning light reckons The lure of disease, The luck of the draw,  In another time might we Be lost in love nightly, But the gravity of the moment Commands us now all. Sing now all together, As plague takes its measure, Too late do we tarry, To love and to hold. Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

Careful How You Run Hey Hey Funny Face, Careful how you run your race,  Do you know what you win? We'll all find out in the end.  Marti made the words up, As she sang her silly song, Took Jimmy’s hand and, Pulled him as she walked along.  Marti was popular, At Coquille High School, Jimmy was a shy boy, They called him Marti’s fool, But Jimmy felt strong,  Now that he was Marti’s friend,  They couldn't hold him back now, He knew how it felt to win.  Marti went to State, When she got the scholarship,  Then she went to grad school,  She felt like she was on a rip,  Marti did research,  Marine biology,  She published papers,  They hired her on the faculty,    Marti loved the work,  But then she got the news,  They had to cut the budget,  Her contract wouldn’t be renewed, Marti got depressed, Felt like she was all alone, Nothing she could do now.  Except maybe go back home. A job at the tire store, Was the best Jimmy found, He loved to take the tow truck, And solve problems all around, He covered I5, And the south stretch of 101, Soon he had trucks,  All over Southern Oregon. Jimmy played guitar, While he waited for a call, Soon he had a band,  They wrote a tune for Marti’s song, They usually played at church, Sometimes at Mr. Zack's bar. And when he thought about her, He wished she hadn’t gone so far. Marty pulled a trailer,  With everything that she owned, The trailer got a flat, On a lonely stretch of the road, The tow truck came, With music on the stereo, She laughed when he sang her song, It felt good to be back home,    Hey Hey Funny Face, Careful how you run your race, Do you know what you win? We'll all find out in the end. Marti made the words up,  As she sang her silly song, Took Jimmy’s hand and, Pulled him as they walked along.  Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

Lo Siento Mi Amigo Are you still going north? I cry to see you go. By the light of coyote's torch, Lo siento mi amigo. The sunny sound of the radio guitar, Echos the hope that's in your heart, You placed your bet and let it ride, To find your way to the other side.   Each day I wait for your call, I see you running past the wall, I pray to God to give you speed, To find the work you need. Dust of the desert, heat of the sun, Your family needs you to be the one, Find the strength to carry on, Lo siento, mi amigo. In the empty space of the desert night, Souls are lost that should not be, Lights of the north come into sight, This is your chance to be free. A good life was your dream that day, It’s just a dream you know, They tell you now that you can't stay, Lo siento, mi amigo. Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

Hell Above Ground Well here we go again, we got another hot year, But like the Congressman says, we got nothing to fear, It’s just the normal weather. The scientists lied.  Yeah the fires are bad, but the economy’s fine. I know you're feelin’ bad ‘cause all the polar bears drowned. But it was just a bunch of ice, nothin’ valuable around, Did you hear those crazy scientists, what they’re puttin’ down?  The next generation will see Hell above ground!  The earth has always changed since the beginning of time, So don’t worry now, don't pay it any mind,  We got California weather all up the West Coast, And it ain’t our fault that Australia’s toast.  Insrumental We need a lot of energy, and we need it now, We couldn't change the future even if we knew how.   Too bad we lost Topeka, that was such a nasty storm, But we’re used to it now, this is the new norm. I know you're feelin’ bad ‘cause all the polar bears drowned. But it was just a bunch of ice, nothin’ valuable around, Did you hear those crazy scientists, what they’re puttin’ down?  The next generation will see Hell above ground!  They used to say if you sinned, there would be Hell to pay, This Is the Hell we got when we looked the other way,  We're so sorry kids, take a good look around, By the time you’re grown you’ll see Hell above ground. Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

On the Coast Starlight Joel and Crystal were on the Coast Starlight Train, He was going to prison and she was going home again, He saw her as he walked in, she looked him straight in the eye, As the sun was coming up, he knew he had to give this a try. He walked up to her row, doin' his best to smile, She looked at him. He said, "Can I sit with you for a while?" She said, "I guess," and he sat down carefully, He said, "I'm a little lonely, I'd like it if you'd talk with me." Four hours later, just saying what they're thinking of, They had bared their souls, and they both were falling in love.     "Oh, no," she said, “We'll be coming into Redding soon," "My mother and my boyfriend will be there to meet me at noon." He looked away, and said, "Don't worry 'bout me," "I'm goin' to prison in Oregon, could be a year before I'm free." As they pulled into Redding, he didn't know  what to say. "Which prison?" she said, "I just might be up that way." He stayed on the train to Oregon, he knew it was his last day free, And would he ever see her? He'd just have to wait and see. Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

Missy and the Grizzly Bear Girls The Umatilla People tell a story of love,   So passionate, it easily turns to hate, Young women scorned turned into vicious bears, And straightaway their men they ate,                     Missy heard the story of the grizzly bear girls,      Young women turned into jealous beasts,            With flashing teeth they ripped up the men they’d loved,  Could this ever happen to me?                                      A few years later, the way things go, Missy was in love happily, But soon she was thrown into a pit of despair, When Justin moved on to date Marie.    First she was hurt, and then she got mad, So mad she couldn’t see, Her love and her hope were stolen now, All The future she had known would never be. Up to the mountains, she had to get away, It was time to learn to be alone, She wandered 3 days, but she was never lost, The Umatilla Mountains now her home. She dreamed one night of the grizzly bear girls,  And the hate that stole their souls away, When Missy woke, she understood, Sometimes love hurts, but it's OK.     Mama tell the story of the grizzly girls again, How come they got so mean? When you where young were you ever in love? And what does the story mean? Anger is a bear and it fills your heart,  But it's you who says how it will be, A wise woman chooses the path of love, But when she smiles she shows her teeth.  Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

For the Fishermen’s Wives Hoist every pot, shake the keepers free, And thank God we’re still alive,  There’s nothing left of the good Carey G,  This haul is for the fishermen’s wives. The wind is up but the loan is due, With crab in season we are,  Bound to fish no matter the swell, So we cross that treacherous bar.    Jesus! Where did that wind come from? This time we pushed too far,  We’ll call the Coast Guard out of Newport, And power through the bar. The Carey G floundered on the bar that night, By their flares the Coast Guard saw, Her break in two as a monster wave, Swallowed her into the maw.  Jesus! Where did that wind come from? This time we pushed too far,  We’ll call the Coast Guard out of Newport, And power through the bar.   Hoist every pot, shake the keepers free, And thank God we’re still alive, There’s nothing left of the good Carey G,  This haul is for the fishermen’s wives. Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

Home Again It’s been hours on the interstate,                And this last year ain’t been so great, I’m thinkin’ about you. And the space you kept inside yourself.          When I took my heart down off the shelf, To give to you. These times have got me feelin’ that,           I don’t know what or where it’s at at all. But I do know I'm missin’ you, And here I am thinking about home again.   ---- I see a lot of people now, Pushin’ carts and living’ out, On their own.  My friends who're still afloat, Don't like their jobs but still they go, They don’t wanna know The humility of being’ down, Losin’ hope of turnin’ ‘round the flow. So they’re holdin’ on the best they can, Keeping’ hope up thinkin’ about home again. ---- Another night of workin' late, Tonight sleep’ll have to wait, I'm thinking about you. And that space you kept inside yourself. Not to waste your mental health, on a broken heart.     And me I’m not so sure about, But somethin’s likely to work out sometime, So I’m holdin’ on the best I can, Keeping’ hope  up thinkin’ about home again. Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

Carey, Can You Hear Me Now? The Union Pacific runs long trains up and down the Columbia Gorge.  The people who work the railroad are the lifeblood of commerce in the Western states, moving high value freight all day and all night.  Carey’s father left after a fight with her mother.  Her mother said he didn’t care about Carey any more. But Carey wondered if that was true.  She knew he drove the Union Pacific freight trains running up and down the gorge by The Dalles where she lived.  She opened her window to hear them blow to clear the tracks in town. She thought it might be her dad.  Carey can you hear me now? I’m sorry I left your mom, I can’t see you for a while,   But you have to know I still love you,   And I have to know you love me too.    Carey’s mom got a new boyfriend and they all moved to Portland. The boyfriend was nice to Carey and her mom, but Carey still missed her dad. There were no trains near where they lived in Portland now, but she still opened the window some nights to listen for the air horns in the distance. Carey can you hear me now? I’m sorry I left your mom, I can’t see you for a while,  But you have to know I still love you, And I have to know you love me too.    Her mom had to go to rehab, so Carey went back to The Dalles to live with her Grandma Jill.  She told her Gradma about listening for her dad's train.   One night late Grandma Jill woke her up and they went down by the Union Pacific Yard office.  Grandma answered her cell phone and gave it to Carey.  It was her dad on the train.     Carey can you hear me now? I’m sorry I left your mom, I can’t see you for a while,   But you have to know I still love you,   And I have to know you love me too.    Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers

Legend of Face Rock In the days before the white men came,     The Coast People knew the name, Seatco, demon of the sea.         Seatco made the storms blow,      And pulled canoes down below The waves, just to see the people die.  The People, proud as they are,  Called in friends from the mountains far, To share bounties gathered from the shore. When the runners cried out the call, That the mountain chief and people all, Were a day away, they lit the feasting fires.      As clams in beds of moss steamed, And salmon cooked in myrtle leaves,   The Coast People warned their mountain friends. Remember Seatco lies in wait,  To seal unwary souls' fate, Tell your children there is evil his eyes.    Ewauna, daughter of the mountain chief, Thrilled with the power of the sea, Raced with her pets along the shore.    Her dog, Komax, barked and ran,   She held a basket in her hand, Three baby raccoons safe inside.  Seatco watched from the deep,      He knew this was the time to keep, Hidden'til the child came to him. He knew there was a moon tonight,   To draw the girl to its light, And then he would swallow her last breath. The people burned the fires bright,      To push back darkness from the night, And feast in honor of the mountain chief. When they all were full of food,     They danced into a fever mood, And fell asleep just where their bodies lay. When all was quiet, Ewauna crept,  Down to the sea, and soon she lept, Into the surf to swim upon the sea. Her dog Komax left behind,      Racoon babies safe inside, The basket that Ewauna had made.    As Ewauna swam in the moonlit night,   Seatco’s one hand blocked the light, And the other reached around Ewauna’s waist. But a growl and then a snarling bite,   As Komax came out of the night, And clamped his jaws on the demon's spectral hand.  Seatco let out a furious screech,   And blew them scattered on the beach, Ewauna, Komax, raccoon babies, too. To steal her soul he must catch her eye,   She knew his trick -- which she denied, By looking at the pale silver moon. Enraged he turned them into stone.   As waves broke in moonlit foam,  The surf became their final resting place. But he missed her gaze to steal her soul,   So Seatco lost his demon’s hold,   His curse turned him to stone, too. With her soul free, Ewauna flew,         With Komax and racoons, too, Their images stayed behind in the stone. But Seatco, slow to realize,                       This child knew not to catch his eye, Soon found the stone his everlasting tomb.  This fabled scene the mountain chief, Found as horror turned to grief. He saw Ewauna’s face in the rock. And so the story comes down today,   Of a girl who knew to look away,  And thereby made a demon turn to stone.  Lyrics derived from the story told by Indian Mary, a woman of the Coquille band, in Requiem for a People, by Stephen Dow Beckham, Oregon State University Press (1971/1998). Copyright 2021 Lost Forest Rangers