I Can't Make This Shit Up!

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Attached is a free MP3 written by Rick Byers during the fight to save the Stanislaus river. He's a wonderful song writer and boatman par-excellence, and his (and his wonderfully talented family's) music can be purchased at: rickbyars.com. This is a love song and farewell to the Stanny.


Stanislaus River

C G

It starts in the mountains as just a small trickle,

C G

A few drops of fresh melted snow

C G

It jumps o’er the boulders laughing and playing,

C G C

as it heads for the valley below


Chorus:

F C

The Stanislaus River, so wild and so free

G C

I hope for all time that you will be

F C

A free flowing river that man cannot end

G C

I’ll remember you always my friend


C G C G

As it flows onward, it grows rather quickly, it becomes a clear running stream

C G C G C

Fish start to grow there, deer come to water, yes it is everyman’s dream


Chorus

C G

Down in the foothills, it’s become a big river,

C G

it flows thru the canyon it made

C G

Thousands enjoy it as they flow with its beauty,

C G C

they hope that it can be saved


Chorus

C G

Progress is on us, the river’s in danger,

C G

the men want to stop her great flow

C G

We’ve got to stop them, no matter what it takes us,

C G C

Or else they’ll be nothing to show…


Chorus


By Rick Byars

(...I've added my own little postscript verse:


Deep down and silent, the river is patient,

In her dark and watery grave.

In some far-off future, our children will frolick

By a fig-tree, a rope-swing, a cave.

chorus.

Jeffe)


Jul 18, 2011 2:47 PM

Why Spend All That Money on a Grand Canyon Whitewater River Trip when you could pay half that and go on a cruise?

Because every world traveler I've ever taken down the river says its the best thing they've ever done. Because nothing compares to staring down Crystal or Hance or Lava Falls, heart in your throat and trying to keep the bile down, listening to your guides plot their course (trying to look cool and keep the bile down), knowing you're completely out of your element, in their hands, and at the mercy of the river gods. Because tomorrow you might be dead, or too damn old, or too damn busy, or all three. Because no matter what river I do, anywhere in the world, I always compare it to THE GRAND, and so does everyone else. Because the heat is intense, the vertical cliffs are intense, the rapids are intense, the talented misfits called boatmen (even the women) are intense, the hikes and waterfalls and damn it everything down there simply demands to be paid attention to.

And that's something sorely missing in our lives.

Or you can go on a cruise and, well, do what you can do right at home: get entertained, get fat(er), listen to people talk drivel, go to the man-made pool, or man-made movie, or man-made shopping mall... and get herded around like so many cattle. Is that what you want? Then go do it then go back to sleep.

But if you really want to feel your heart beat, the sun bake, the water drench your soul, well then, make it happen.

Not that I have an opinion.

email me with your own opinion and you might just get quoted.

Jul 18, 2011 2:25 PM
Publisher and agent queries welcome at jeffe.aronson@yahoo.com