Nose of the Wolf

He drove his old bass boat
From the bay in Duluth
Down through the nose of the Wolf
To the east and the south and the paw
And he felt the years of tears in his eyes
And is ears felt the bite of the wind
As it blew back his silver hair
But he clung to the shore
With a dog's sense of fear

And the name of his daughter
Seemed to sigh from the sigh from the motor
As he brought it down to half
And the bay turned the color of roses in summer
And the evening sun fingered the earth

When he found her under the old bay bridge
Her dress had snagged on along
And he reached down the cold of her arm
But his eyes and mouth were dry
And he stared up through the grates and the steel
At the tourist cars going by
And he lifted her up and laid her down
For the long ride home into the wind

And the name of his daughter
Seemed to cry from the motor
As he brought it up to full
And the bay seemed to shimmer
From oil on the water
And the silver moon pulled at the shore


Credits: from the album Front Porch Rebellion, released July 31, 2012
Music and Lyrics by Charlie Cheney
Charlie Cheney - Guitar & Vocals
Craig Van Otteren - Mandolin & Vocals
Vickie Van Otteren - Washboard & Vocals

Recorded live 02/03/2012 at Makin' Sausage Studios in Milwaukee WI
Recorded by Steve Hamilton.

Written during Steel Bridge Songfest 2007.