California, beautiful, beautiful
Poor men roam this land
Working hard, hoping, praying
One day they’ll take a stand

Wishing star, dream, dream
A place to call their own
Digging deep, gaining, learning
Future to them is known

Clear river, thirst, thirst
A scared man’s hiding place
Trusting friendship, listening, learning
His tales of just in case

Caretaker, brother, brother
There when all else fails
Willing always, rearranging, loving
Walks on the sharpest of nails

Cherry-red dress, tease, tease
Product of a shadowed heart
Looking shamelessly, testing, flaunting
Aware it’s not her place, nor part

Broken pride, ego, ego
A troublemaker’s scorn
Angering always, pushing, provoking
‘Til he himself was torn

Needed wisdom, gift, gift
He who answers every call
Understanding others, caring, giving
But no one can have it all

Dark-haired horse, work, work
Unwanted man’s best friend
Pulling endless, tending, running
A lonely message to send

Grizzled dog, lover, lover
Master won’t let go
Arguing desperately, struggling, unwilling
Though worries his time too has been enough

Soft bunny rabbit, innocent, innocent
One man’s lonely dream
Acting out, unknowing, unseeing
Hurtful can his rough hands be

Old cowboy hat, secret, secret
Another’s unjust fear
Thinking cautious, planning, wondering
Afraid to shed a tear

Dusty ranch house, shelter, shelter
Chaos runs fluid as the sand
Crying pain, fighting, trying
No one to lend a hand

Bright futures, possibility, possibility
Until a clouded day
Clinging helplessly, holding, clawing
While their dreams slip away

Distant memory, something, something
To remember is near forbidden
Breathing, feeling, learning to forget
The dream that almost happened