JACOB'S FIREBALL

IN THE DARK FINISH
OF ANOTHER SATURDAY
COLD WIND
BLOWS DOWN FROM NASHVILLE
STIRRING DRY CORN STALKS
AND CEDAR TREES
OF BEDFORD COUNTY
WITH WSM GRAND OLD OPRY
AND FROZEN RAIN

ROY ACUFF
MARTHA WHITE
AND THE LANKY GHOST
OF HANK WILLIAMS
FORM A FAMILIAR CIRCLE
AROUND JOHN GROGAN
AND THE HOT IRON
OF JACOB'S FIREBALL

THEY SING THE OLD SONGS

BLOW FRENCH HARP
LOCOMOTIVE WHISTLE RECOLLECTIONS
THAT CATCH SLOW CLIMBING FREIGHT TRAINS
BOUND FOR KENTUCKY HILLS
AND WORK

THIS NIGHT
NO ONE WILL SHARE
THE RAMBLING OF TALES

A FEATHER BED
OF SOLITUDE
WILL REST FRAIL STRENGTH

THE DOG WILL SHIVER
FROM HIS FRONT PORCH SLEEP
AND GROWL AT SOMETHING
OUT THERE IN THE DARK

(FOR JOHN GROGAN
OCT/23/1981-REH)