The Anomaly

© Jerry England 1997

Now ol' Sun Up holds his head up high,
Pretty little golden horse wants to be on the fly.
Old long tapaderos swingin' from my Visalia tree,
Braided rawhide hackamore with a horse-hair mecate.

Just ridin' in that California sunshine,
Just ridin' that ol' palomino pal o' mine,
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin'.

The Old Man's best display must surely be the break of day
When through oak leaves shines Sun's first golden ray,
And out on a limb a Steller's jay is a-squawkin'
While cowboys sit around a camp fire a-talkin'.

Just ridin' in that California sunshine,
Just ridin' that ol' palomino pal o' mine,
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin'.

We're listenin' to the call of those valley quail,
Ridin' up that blue shadowed canyon trail.
Cottonwoods and sycamores, and a live oak tree,
Tall green grass and a babblin' brook beside me.

Just ridin' in that California sunshine,
Just ridin' that ol' palomino pal o' mine,
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin'.

We're rockin' to the rhythm of a creakin' saddle,
Just gatherin' up them white-faced cattle.
Coyote slinkin' through the brush with his head hung low,
Redtail hawk soarin' high above the valley below.

Just ridin' in that California sunshine,
Just ridin' that ol' palomino pal o' mine,
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin'.

There's a bobcat in the willows a-starin' at me
And a big old Mountain Lion we'll never see,
But my little pack horse Star is followin' behind,
And like old Sun Up and me, he's the happy kind.

Just ridin' in that California sunshine,
Just ridin' that ol' palomino pal o' mine,
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin'.

While grazin' up on that ridge beyond
Is a mule deer doe and her little fawn
And you'll see plenty of sign from brother raccoon
During what the ol' Indian calls berries ripe moon

Just ridin' in that California sunshine,
Just ridin' that ol' palomino pal o' mine,
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin'.

Old oak tree with limbs so gnarled and bold,
Please tell me a tale about the vaqueros of old,
Of a time when the golden bear still roamed free
And Sun Up and me weren't an anomaly.

Just ridin' in that California sunshine,
Just ridin' that ol' palomino pal o' mine,
Rockin', Rollin', Ridin'.

 

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