Upon the crackling, ruthless ice,
The snow is a dull-edged pain,
And the moon is a silent watcher--
Mocking, it grimly wanes.

The cars are a racing buffet,
Hurtling swiftly by,
While my cries for help are muted
Upon the greying night…

*Begin slow drumbeat.

As I am lying by the roadside,
Lying, lying,
If I were man I would be crying,
Crying, crying.

My ragged ear shakes in the wind,
Wind, wind,
And my legs feel frail and thin,
Thin, thin.

My life before me races,
Races, races,
As the shadow toward me paces,
Paces, paces.

As the black shadow toward me paces,
Paces, paces,
The end must surely come.

*Drum stops. Begin calm, sweet music.

Resting in dappled sunlight
Among the forest green,
We await Mother’s return
Where neither man nor beast may glean.

Celebrating lush, sweet grass
And cooling, peaceful shade,
Spring and summer happily pass, as
Through bubbling brooks we wade.

Though we are always a’ wanderin’,
I never have a home;
Except land, trees and crying hawks,
I am all alone.

Finding a true love for me,
Among battlin’ bucks and quiet does,
We entangle ourselves in a passion,
Forgetting all earthly woes.

Searching to sustain ourselves,
In winter’s bitter frost,
We are driven back and forth
And in hunger, many are lost.

Hearing the lusty coyotes,
In the distance howl and scream,
We uneasily cross to safety
Under light of the car’s cruel beam…

*Slow drumbeat. Music fades out.

My body slowly heaves,
Heaves, heaves,
As I struggle just to breathe,
Breathe, breathe.

And my life before me races,
Races, races,
As the dark shadow toward me paces,
Paces, paces.

If I were man I know I’d cry,
Cry, cry;
I think I’m going to die,
Die, d---

*Drum stops abruptly.

Upon the crackling, ruthless ice,
The snow was a dull-edged pain,
And the moon was a wordless watcher—
Mocking, it grimly waned.

And the cars were a racing buffet,
Hurtling swiftly by,
While my cries for help were silent
Upon the greying night.


*Music cues.