So You Want to be a Native?

So you want to study nature Know the land from back to front You know so little, I can help you I can aid you on your hunt! So you want to be a native And learn the ways of Earth? Let me tell you, little quester, What those mysterious are worth! But you don’t understand… You still can’t understand It is not extremely simple, Despite what others will say; It’s a job and a passion That you’ll do til judgment day First, I can teach you nothing now That will not come from within Go see Nevada, then come back And maybe I’ll let you in But you don’t understand… You still don’t understand So you watch Bertha and Tina And you help whitewash the “N” You listen to the coyotes And do it all again So you ride down Reno’s Truckee ‘Til you are a frosty shell And you spend your days flying kites Down at Rancho San Rafael But you don’t understand… You still don’t understand So you visit Stokes Castle And the Mapes Hotel too And you visit the Stone Mother To simply say, “I love you.” So you watch the sun in the east As it makes the frost glitter And you adopt the scenery And disregard the litter But you don’t understand… You still don’t understand So you find yourself giving up And you let yourself give in Nothing seems to be working out And you know you’re done searchin’ So you just watch the storm clouds come Sailing towards your resting spot, And you hear a thousand voices And you wonder what you caught But you don’t understand… You still don’t understand Oh, then suddenly you see them All the secrets you had not- The bold truth, it’s all been revealed- And you know things you forgot So you journey to my cottage As you did but once before, And you pause just for a moment Then walk through my open door But you don’t understand… You still don’t understand Finally you are my student And you listen to what I say: For to get the most out of knowledge, You must give it all away; For to get the most out of love, You must love with all your heart; And to make the most out of nature, You must be its counterpart But you don’t understand… You still can’t understand You have faced Earth, Air, and Water Stone and Flame both as well For dear Nevada has taught you You’ve learned so much-You will excel You’ve learned a lot but I’m not done Find that last secret inside. Only then will you understand: And not a thing will hide But you don’t understand… You still don’t understand Now you see the deepest secret: That you must love Nevada, From Reno to Great Basin Park Always adore Nevada Now I hope you are satisfied, This moment is marked in stone: Friend, from now to your last breath, Love all Earth as your own So now you understand… At last you understand