walkin in the tall corn

[saw]

we walked in the tall corn
flapping waves of grain tickling my ears
majestic like those lingering images at three a m
in the old days when TV actually used to go off the air

and i would surely would have been lost
if it were not for granddaddy's knowing footprints
to place my tiny boots inside as he told me story after story
as he sang to me Mississippi John Hurt songs

as we slipped in and out of the greenish brown stalks
Blue Harvest Blues, Oh Mary Don't You Weep,
Cow Hooking Blues, he sang like he talked
a blue streak soft and raspy flying over the fields

like the black magpies in July, and i told him i was afraid
'cause i couldn't see where I was going, so he picked me up
by my little overall straps, cradled me in his tanned farmer arms
that looked like tree trunks with mounds of wired hair

but he never stopped walkin' and talkin', whisperin' at times,
" When fear gets to playin' with yer mind boy, just remember
fear is nuthin but a dream, LOVE is the real thing, and love'l
make a big ole mountain lion turn tail, run back inside his grotto

Hell son, a bad man would sooner wrassle with a pack of mangy coyotes
than mess with a man with love in his heart
you'll be alright boy, keep the truth on your tongue
and a song in your heart, and you will never have any trouble finding your way."

[the mingo]

[mtmynd]

your granddaddy was a true realist... one hell of a man.

gracias, SAW... fine piece.

[dadio]

Excellent tale.