A Howling Dust Lyrics - Singles - Cormorant

The soil here is hard in summer 

so I buried my father in a tomb of rocks, 

a plot behind St. Catherines church 

to lay rest the gilded dreams of pitiable men. 

With gold found to the North, 

Quartzburg drove out its whores, 

its foreigners and roughnecks. 

They settled this camp. 

Pa left every day to mine. 

Id follow him to the gulch, 

my pan and shovel in hand, 

a child devoted to riches. 

The Mexicans often staged 

bull and bear fights near the bar. 

They kept a boy entertained 

when there were no hangings to enjoy. 

The Cantonese flooded the quarries, 

working for less than the Whites. 

My father would curse the Orientals, 

yet came home reeking of opium. 

A group of my friends and I 

left to explore the creek. 

The Chinaman kneeled there, 

gleaning for gold. 

We mocked him, and pushed him, 

I prodded him with my knife. 

He gripped his revolver 

and fired in the air. 

The errant bullet 

ricocheted off of a stone 

and grazed my leg. 

I ran back bawling 

to the town. 

Mobs 

surround 

the crying Chinaman, 

Father clutching the noose. 

Law 

arrived. 

The sheriff demanded 

that he be jailed and properly tried. 

Gangs amassed 

late at night 

outside the jail. 

Father led, 

rope in hand, 

prey in his cell. 

Soothing lies. 

Tempted with 

tobacco leaves, 

the Chinese 

reached his arm 

through the bars. 

The lynch mob swiftly grabbed 

the gleaners exposed hand. 

Father wrapped the collar 

around his neck. 

The horde yanked on the rope, 

Chinaman dragged and choked, 

his brains dashed upon the wall. 

Soon all the gold mines dried 

but that blood never did. 

Red still stains the jail cell wall. 

Father was never tried, 

none mourn a foreigner, 

but I saw guilt in his eyes. 

With all the riches spent, 

the people left the town 

yet I stayed to dwell here still. 

When Father died of drink 

I did not weep for him. 

I pray the grave unburdens his sins. 

I pray that someone will remain to bury me. 

I pray that someone will remain.