February, 1878 Chords

Lyrics & chords

[Intro 1]
[D][Dm][D]

[Verse 1]
February [D]8th, 1878
South of Trout Creek, west of Cedar Lake
On a winding mountain trail of
the North Pacific Union Rail
The snow arrived on time,
the circus train was running late
Rip spot’s past and all the
knuckles worn,
Firebox bursting to the running boards
A pounding in his chest,
crushing like a cider press
The hogger rode the throttle ‘round the

[Verse 2]
bender like a flank-strapped horse
[D]
“Let’s return now to the dust
as the dust we are;
Tonight, our bridal fate,
the hour’s come to consummate!”
And drove her [E]massive [D]bod[E]y like a
[D]truck in[Dm]to t[D]he iron bars
Limestone thrown from out
the hopper’s back
Ash Cat tossed against
the diamond stack
From cradle to caboose,
the frozen bolts broke loose,
Sent that cage spinning like [E]a dreidel off
the [D]icy [Dm]tracks

[Interlude 1]
[F][Dm][F][Dm][D][Dm]

[Verse 3]
[Dm]Run [F]on, Rabb[Dm]it, run!
Before the East [F]sky [Dm]wakes the sun!
Sails set [F]to [Dm]the dreadful cold,
Until your [F]anchor-heart takes takes [Dm]hold
Run [F]on, Fox [Dm]& Bear,
From this dis[F]mal [Dm]dream’s despair!
Cast thoughts to in the open ocean of air
Until your thread [F]catch some
[Am]where[F]
“Mother, please [Am]come

[Verse 4]
[F]
[Am]along!”

[Verse 5]
“My tusks are [F]dull, my [Am]eyes,[F]
[Am]half-blind,
Too Too [F]old to run, [Am]too big to hide,
And have [F]neither friend nor en[Am]emy,
Nor that [F]phantom, [Am]‘self’-identity
Nor [F]concern for what
[Am]‘they’ll’ do [F]to ‘me’
Now, [Am]my children, ru[Dm]n fr[D]ee![Dm]”

[Verse 6]
But Tiger[F], why s[Dm]it still,
As the of[F]ficers [Dm]climb the hill?
What stars cast down their spears,
Cooled your [F]fire with their tears?
[Dm]

[Verse 7]
[F]“Gone that [Dm]siren’s sound,
It’s a si[F]lence now [Dm]pours down
Gone, [F]my next [Dm]of kin,
And all once without [F]now [Am]lives[F][Am][F][Am]
[F][Am]
[F][Am][F][Am][F][Am][F]
[C]wit[F]hin”

[Verse 8]
“Topiary Tiger, [F]once [C]burned bright
[F]Save your tales of [C]gnostic sight
And [F]take heed on this
[C](most) auspicious night!
[F]Topiary Tiger, [C]once [Dm]burned bright”