Gathering storm

There's talk in town from the livery to saloon
Just last night, somebody saw a bloodspot on the moon
And two counties over it was rumored that three dogs went mad
They put 'em down with charm salt but those folk's luck still gone bad
Well, this morning in the pine pews at Calvary Church
The womenfolk were nervous, the sermon unrehearsed
And the newspaper front page spoke of a Mr. John Brown
When they hanged him in Virginia, he wore an abolition frown

There's a gathering storm
From the North to the South
Swirling with vengeance
There's thunder in them clouds
That gathering storm
From the Wild West to the East
Is coming like a locomotive
Engineered by a hellish beast

Ol' Sassafras Sassoon was hunting down in Snakebite Hollow
Said he found a dead angel and his tobacco he did swallow
Said that angel was a dire omen of consequence to come
Said he got down on his knees and prayed after a shot of sweet rum
Well, there's fussing and fighting in the Jenkins household
Tommy told his pappy no man or woman should ever be sold
Pappy said Ham from the bible, he was to blame
So Tom bought a ticket one way bound on the first northern train

Don't you feel that gathering storm
Something's wrong with the weather
A gathering storm is moving
Over the cowering heather
That gathering storm
Gonna shake our sycamore trees
There's lightning in the firmament
And it's aimed at you and me

Don't you feel that gathering storm
From N'Orleans to Arkansas
Casting a great big shadow
Like a sharp black bear claw
A gathering storm
From Mississippi to New York
That gathering storm
Gonna rain down pitchforks

That gathering storm
From the North to the South
Swirling with vengeance
There's thunder in them clouds
A gathering storm
Hear the nevermore ravens sing
All the hosts of heaven
And hell are shivering