Papa played banjo
Fingers a’flutter
Levied hips a’twitchin’
Utterly betwitching
Otherwise intelligent girls
Lost in the rock of his old blue jeans.

Pied Piper fingers
Slender as willows
Caressed those tight banjo strings,
While his long cool notes
Dripped like fresh water
From a cold Appalachian stream.

Words of love thrillin’ us,
Indeciperhable,
A fine rain on parched hearts.
Tossin’ time like a pebble
At the smoky darkness,
Papa played banjo all night long.


Pamela Flesner © 2009