Emigrant, MT

EMIGRANT, MT

Immigrants to Emigrant, dusty as the road
Thankful as Wyoming’s plains to find the Yellowstone
Sit and watch her carve a slice of Paradise below
Making up the story as she goes

Picture window picture frame, proscenium display
Big sky, no wonder why the Crazy Mountains stay
The osprey and the prairie dogs, they do their dance all day
Spirited, and spirited away

I lay my line at suppertime, I throw my fly again
The mountain lets the river sip the snowmelt from its hands
Unlicensed and undisciplined and humbled in the end
I left the fish for bears and better men

Cherry pancakes, pecan pie, a table set for four
And company like paint pot steam, colorful and warm
Fireworks they light the Fourth, level with our eyes
Wildfire country kind of skies

Fresh to full the moon’s refilled to lead the night’s parade
Far more stars than I have words or wishes I could make
There’s church and then there’s Chico Springs or the river down to Pray
But me, I’m just a Teton man I’d say

Emigrants from Emigrant, home and back to home
With memories and all our needs packed up as we drove
Thank you very, thank you much, and thank you awful so
For Montana and a taste of Yellowstone