The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest

1. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest At the far end of the park where the prickly pear grows And the wind smells dry and dusty when it blows, And no birds sing excepting old crows, Is the place of the petrified forest. Page 1

2. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest Deep under the cactus, so some people say, If you look deep enough you will still find today, Where a park ranger once stood for as long as he could Before the petrified forest was carried away. Page 2

3. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest What was the forest? And why was it there? And why was it lifted and taken somewhere From the park where now only prickly pear grows? An old tourist still lives there, Ask him, he knows. Page 3

4. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest You won’t see the tourist, don’t knock on his door. He lives in an RV that doesn’t run anymore. He stays in his RV, hot under the sun, Dreaming and praying and cursing what he’d done. Page 4

5. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest But on hot afternoons in the summer he peaks Out of the shutters and sometimes he speaks, And tells how the forest was taken away. Listen close and he’ll tell us today. Page 5

6. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest It all started back, such a long time ago, When the ground was littered with colors from the rainbow. Those trees, those trees, those petrified trees! Never had I seen trees such as these. Watch your step. Don’t bump your toe! These trees were trees LONG ago. Page 6

7. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest They are trees now turned to solid rock. Secrets to the past these fossils unlock. Not only fossil trees are found in the park, Plant leaves and animal skeletons have also left their mark. Across streams and rivers and swamps and muds Giant footsteps once echoed with great big thuds. Page 7

8. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest Fossilized bones and teeth and armored plates, Even copralites, fossilized POOP, for goodness sakes, Are clues to the past, the ancient Triassic, The dawn of the dinosaurs, the time before the Jurassic! Page 8

9. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest Then there are clues to the past that aren’t so old, Arrowheads, baskets, pottery, and the ancient pueblos. The ancient Indian heritage is strong here, too. These people have been here much longer than me or you. Page 9

10. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest Oh, and the living plants and animals of today Are beautiful and plentiful and here to stay. Pronghorn, roadrunners, snakes, and prairie dogs, All make there home amongst the petrified logs. Page 10

11. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest I set up a business. Got right down to it: Collecting petrified wood and sticking a price tag to it. Fifty cents or a buck, They bring good luck! Get your piece here! Don’t wait till next year! I’ll even help you load it into your truck. Page 11

12. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest I was picking up pieces left and right. I had quite the business, with no end in sight. When one day I saw, neither skinny nor fat, A man in grey and green with a mighty straw hat. His shoes were polished. His badge was gold. He walked with the confidence of cowboys of old. Page 12

13. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest “Hello!” he said with a friendly smile, “I thought I’d stop and chat with you a while. I’ve noticed since you’ve been here That things have mighty changed. The petrified forest has been rearranged! Once there were small pieces spread across the ground So many, you’d see nothing else around. Page 13

14. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest Now it’s only the big pieces and chunks, That won’t fit into your customer’s trunks. Here in the park my job is to respect The visitors and resources I have sworn to protect. I preserve and conserve each piece of petrified tree. I protect the past, the present, and the future to be. Page 14

15. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest Leave the petrified wood here to stay And future generations can come back one day.” I knew he was right, but what could I do? My business was my life, and my business, it grew. I called up my aunts and uncles and cousins. I said, “Get on out here!” They came by the dozens. Page 15

16. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest But sure enough, it happened as I knew it would. The park ranger came back, and I was still up to no good. “What have you done?” he cried, very upset. He was no longer smiling when our eyes finally met. Page 16

17. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest “Mister, oh mister! You are crazy with greed! What is it you want? What is it you need? If money is all that this is about, No cash can replace what you’ve taken out.” He then took his arm and swept it through the air, Showing me nothing but dirt and my own footprints there. Page 17

18. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest I gasped and sputtered and couldn’t believe my eyes! For in the red dirt under the clear desert skies, No longer did I see One single, rock-hard, petrified tree! Page 18

19. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest “No longer can this place be protected, the wood is all gone! My job is over, the park service must move on.” The ranger was sad, so very, very sad. I knew what I’d done here was infinitely bad. He walked away from me then, Not as strong as he’d once been. Page 19

20. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest Defeated and broken, his head hanging low, He walked into the sunset as I watched him go. Page 20

21. The Tourist, the Ranger, and the Petrified Forest The future is open. It’s yours to make. Don’t repeat what just happened, Don’t make the same mistake! Protect your national parks for future generations, For Americans and people from all other nations. The petrified forests are a treasure for all to enjoy, For every man, every woman, every girl, every boy! Page 21