Along the west coast of a modern land
I anchored my boat in the gloom…
Anxious, I walked up the steep rolling hills in the fog —
In the light of the moon
Welcome travelers from Sacramento to San Francisco!
Passing by miners digging for gold and silver all through the night…
Fishermen, fishing for Dungeness crabs — or anything else that might bite
One of the miners hands me a strange dark rock and says, «It's all right.»
I turn around from this kind old man and notice a flame fierce and bright…
Standing, now on top of a hill my neck skin crawls and I feel a chill —
Cause at the docks my old brigantine’s on fire and is sinking!
Is this the end?!
I wonder as I run — running faster than anyone!
No, I won’t surrender — I’ll never back down!
I’ll find my own way in this prodigious town!
Nothing to rescue — it’s far too late — I realize as I get close
Stopping to catch my breath outside old Victorian homes
I don’t have a boat to sail with no more — I guess I just have to walk…
I’m heading south, crossing a giant bridge sturdy as a rock
But at the docks my old brigantine’s on fire and is sinking!
It’s not the end!
Determined, as I stroll —
Head held high, I will never fall!
No, I won’t surrender — I’ll never back down!
I’ll find my own way in this prodigious town!
I hear bullet shots and wild horses escape away from the mainland and into the
lake…
And as I run towards an abandoned saloon
I notice a graveyard for hot air balloons
One has a wicker basket good as new —
Another an envelope with twigs sticking through
A small sewing job now and this bag’s complete —
The only thing lacking is a source of heat
I check my pockets quietly, but all I have is that rock
I smash it in anger — into the ground — and notice a small spark!
This isn’t granite of a lump of coal but quite a magical stone…
Ascending towards the sky, I guess that old man was right all along
Astounded, as I fly —
Looking down at the night sky!
I didn’t surrender — I didn’t back down!
No, this ain’t the end!
Astounded, as I fly —
Looking down at the night sky!
I didn’t surrender — I didn’t back down!
In this prodigious town!