Floating the Day Away

Tell me something good
You look so pretty with your long, blond mane tied back in a ponytail
So stop racing around the track
Tell me something new
Your eyes sparkle when I see your linen dress swaying by the bar
Dancing alone barefoot and keeping time with beat
As the ice sweats down the glass
Watered down Jack
My favorite memory of you, my darling
Tell me something sweet I can hold tight to
Your bare face cheeks don’t sweat they glisten
You glow waving your arms above your head
Swaying your hips in time with my banjo
You’re all country and I’m back roads hillbilly
Your skin smells like hyacinths
April blossoms after the rain
My darling
Tell me something unforgettable about you
I swoon by your utter lack of understanding
How simply exquisite and unaware you are of your timeless beauty, your tone legs and biceps exposed
Your round belly hints at the slightest mark of time, our babies dancing inside
Right along with you
Hush now darling, that was many blue moons before
Revolving around your sparkle and sunshine
Your favorite tune was the first song I learned
Fingers raw and bloodied strumming the chords
I didn’t mind
It was all for you, Anna Belle
Dreams of rock star living under the hot lights, the girls hollering and screaming my name
I was eighteen and unafraid
Until you’re sweet voice changed my game
The fame, money and good fortune came so fast and furious
My precious girl
The best of times, the fondest days were spent outside the flower shop
Where you made your pretty bouquets for lovers and holidays
Humming under your breath
Tell me something solid
I would waste away the day floating on a lover’s cloud
Strumming any tune for a dollar parked on the scorched pavement
The scruff of my beard stood up when you stopped to listen
Ethereal, Anna Belle
My fingers shook and my voice cracked
You shy smiled and didn’t mind
Sweet sixteen looked so good on you
Tell me something true
Oh babe
You are the gold rush, the gold mine
And my sunshine
How summertime waits on you
Tell me something I already knew
Your life was a beautiful field of lavender blossoms
Your babies grew into kind men and women
We lived on a tour bus traveling and loving
The road was our home
We were always smiling at our luck
Your voice lit the world on fire
When you sang your soulful, deep bluesy love songs
So bittersweet, a million eyes grew tearful
Forever fixated on you
I strummed my guitar watching your long hair dance to and fro in sync with the rhythm
I cannot remember a time before you
My beat up banjo hangs on the wall safe and sound at our home
The Ranch?
That’s right
We lived in a majestic, wooden home with acres and acres of farmland
Wildflowers and rose bushes tickled our feet
You wanted a pool with solar paneling for the grandbabies
Tell me something true
Anna Belle, you are my one and only love song
The one that rings in my ears when I lay my head down at night
The melody that lulls me to sleep and wakes my at first dawn
You won’t remember come morning, come tomorrow, hell come high noon
You will cry when I get up to leave
And won’t understand I’m right here
Right in the next room
Stop it’s all lies, too sad don’t tell me anymore
Hush, now please I won’t listen
Play for me instead, like you used to
And I’ll dance for you
Ok, Ok
Strumming the chords, your forever crooner…
It was a very good life indeed humming a raspy, familiar melody under her breath

Photo Credit: Akamï Flickr via Compfight cc