The Shadow stands the mountain grow fear and suspect

No wisdom weighs it's voice as to what will beset us

Laughter left- nightmares and us more and wild dark

We are now lost even stilled in the bitterest regret

Weary of darkness I gathered forth a warrior host

Away I said - grim faced we upon this awful threat

Our homes besieged our peace shattered and undone

Someone must drive the rank and horror into the sea

We go forth strong about to face a loathsome dawn

Gray skies and raw, dire cold and screeching wind

Who knows It's miserable name and dreadful plan?

Yet we fear for our lives it may soon be done

Take heart Fate surly has not this day penned

a story that would have us lose this day.

Before the trumpet calls us to our final stand

Our path foretold now until the very end

There is no terror greater than an unknown enemy

There is no hatred larger than righteous vengeance

Just bitter anger for one who persecutes the innocent

No profit war when each soul sold for merely a penny

Death comes easy, all gone, none right or seen as just

All is asked and all is given to lift the black iron weight

That evil does appear to weaken mans cold resolve

so sad that goodly steel, worn well, will fade and rust

So whatever this day shall grant we weary

We bare its weight full and take back what is ours

We go upon the path we brave we strong we many

Into the mountains bitter cold and darkly dreary

So off we go horns blaring in the gladding sun

Off we go to send the Beast back to hell

Fight we will to have our life's regained

We will stay our worries for our daughter's sons

So pray thee quiet clear heart and honor true

The wheel of life will always turn- one path or another

May providence keep a loving eye on us all

Grant victory over dark and return the sky to blue

I met an outlaw on the way to Missouri

He said 'Son don't you know who I am?'

I said ' Can’t say I do but I believe in your gun

Come on lad leave your family there.'

' Walk on down to the river with me.

I'll tell you a tale that will break your heart

About a love that went wrong and a man

not strong and a gun.'

'Now I was a fighter and I got what I want

With money or women I was never broke

I rode the first fences for a dollar a day

and killed with a flourish still praised today'

But a man is weak when his hearts on fire

A woman will break him and make him a liar

and a gun

'Her name was belle and she worked in Wyoming

she sat down beside me and said 'Stop all your roaming.

I have something upstairs to settle your soul

and all you have to do is get me sweet gold'

'Well I loved and used her and stayed for a year

I stole and I killed and lived with my fear

she had something upstairs that settles my soul

and all I needed was sweet western gold'

'Now I'm an old man now and I'll pay son

for thieving with this gun and I'll leave here

with my boots on and a bullet from another's gun'

'Because a man is weak when his heart's on fire

a woman will break him and make him a liar

with a gun.'

'Come on down son-leave your family there

Thanks for listening I won't hurt you

Take your family on to Missouri

Don't leave your sweet wife for whiskey

or a woman lusting gold-with your gun.

There's lightening

There is a storm a -brewing

It's blowing a mean wind

It don't matter what you built

It don't matter what you burn

You can have what you believe

It's going to show up in turn

It don't care if you're rich

It don't care if you are poor

You got nothing to protect

When it knocks on your door

If you're walking with Jesus

And you think the words are right

If you're walking with demons

Like some new age in sight

You know

You can hide your diamonds

You can run with your gold

All your thoughts and reasons

Are just the same old story told

We don't know what's coming

That is something the Lord has made

We going to be crying like children

When nothing's the same

There's lightening

There is a storm a -brewing

It's blowing a mean wind

It don't matter what you built

It don't matter what you burn

You can have what you believe

It's going to show up in turn

It don't care if you're rich

It don't care if you are poor

You got nothing to protect

When it knocks on your door

If you're walking with Jesus

And you think the words are right

If you're walking with demons

Like some new age in sight

You know

You can hide your diamonds

You can run with your gold

All your thoughts and reasons

Are just the same old story told

We don't know what's coming

That is something the Lord has made

We going to be crying like children

When nothing's the same

ALL MATERIAL(c)2006 BY KEN LEHNIG THE STORYTELLER