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22 avril ~Five String Guitar~The earliest thing I can recall from back when I was my poppa's toddler son
Is how Momma and Poppa would sing me asleep to a rockin' gospel song:
Momma would pound that old piano 'til those iv'ries would almost talk.
Why, the way she'd tickle those elephant tusks, you could see those elephants walk.
Then, Poppa'd jump in with a great big grin as he'd pick out a couple of bars;
He'd run a few hot licks and get his kicks on this old five-string guitar.
Now, you'd say five strings should be six; I admit you're probably right ;
But Poppa didn't care if the "A" weren't there and it somehow sounded just right.
You see, his poppa before him hand-carved every inch of this old guitar;
And Grandpa was the best there was - he took it with him to the World War.
Gramps was back in about two years, shipped home in a railroad car;
A ricocheted shell sent his dreams to hell as he was plunkin' this old guitar.
It pierced his heart just as he started running up and down these strings;
And I understand when they unlocked his hand, they found that broken "A" string.
So you see when Poppa would pick and grin, it was just his way to show
How much he loved and missed his and he loved this guitar so.
It would never cost much money to replace that missing string;
But somehow that'd be like spittin' at God - we wouldn't do it for anything!
The years have flown and Poppa's gone to his place in the heavenly stars;
On the day he died, poor Momma cried, then picked up this old guitar;
Handing it to me, she said reverently, "Just remember, Son, one thing:
Pick it with love and care - and don't you dare replace that missing string."
So five strings I play until that day when the sun falls from out the sky -
Just pickin' hot licks and gettin' my kicks from now 'til my time to die.
Already, my son who's bright-eyed young, is dancing and humming along.
Instead of counting sheep, we sing him to sleep with a rockin' gospel song.
His momma now pounds that old piano 'til the iv'ries almost talk;
Why, the way she tickles those elephant tusks, we can see the elephants walk!
Then I jump in with a great big grin and pick out a couple of bars
And run a few hot licks as I get my kicks from this old five-string guitar.
When you see me beginnin' my pickin' and grinnin', it's just my way to show
How much I love and I miss my poppa - and I love this guitar so.
No, it would never cost very much money to replace that missing string;
But I still know that'd be like spittin' at God - we wouldn't do it for anything.
I'm sure the years will fly 'til I say "goodbye" to my wife and belvoed son;
On that day I die, I expect she'll cry and wonder where the years have flown.
Then cradling this old guitar, she'll say "Son, remember just one thing:
Pick it with love and care - and don't you dare replace that missing string!"
Then, we'll sit and wait at the Pearly Gate: Momma, Poppa and me.
Gramps'll be there; together we'll share just one more harmony.
Momma will play again on that old piano just like in those days now past.
Again, it'll talk! Elephants will walk! We'll have a heavenly blast!!
Poppa and I will be sitting near by perched on a couple of stars,
As Gramps jumps in with that great big grin and picks out a couple of bars.
And I expect to see Gramps smile reverently at a broken "A" string in his hand.
And maybe then - and only then - we'll replace that missing strand.
Then Gramps will play in his special way yhat tune from a war long gone
While we all hum along until the final strum to that sweet old gospel song.
No ... it never would havecost very much money to replace that missing string:
But, 'til that day, it's be spittin' at God - we wouldn't do it for anything!!
Jerry A Yeck
1-29-2001
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