The Rock

The Rock

(from Pale Rider)

I know about where it is 
this big rock with a candy vein of gold in it 
scintillating under the stars

*

I want to find this Idaho Sword of Shannara 
and lay me down under the silver fruit 
Press the gold of my ear to the vibration 
to sense if I can detect the echo of 
when Lurch -or was it Jaws? 
Split this baby in half 
with an old 1863 hickory stick sledgehammer

*

Yepperdoodle 
I’ll bend up over the hill tonite 
a-foot 
too itchy and scratchy for a truck in that rough spot 
to see if I can’t see how these hills have changed

*

Yeah that’s it 
I’ll pack up the DVD player 
better bring a spare battery juice-pack 
Cause it’s cold in those Idaho hills 
I’ll freeze frame on the DVD 
sections of Mountains in that backdrop 
and compare it to our current status

*
I think of the nameless preacher in the movie 
and for some reason the Beatles real nowhere man 
jangles my juices like Satchel Paige on opening day

*

On spectacular evenings like these 
Sometimes it feels like we’ll still be standing strong 
long after these hills have fast eroded away