When I wake in the morning, sometimes before sunrise
I lay real still so’s She don’t wake and I rub my sleepy eyes
At times like this my brain cranks up and starts to work real fast
Like alphabet soup, but not as hot, and not as long to last
I think about the coming day, I need to paint the barn
No I just did that yesterday. Lets see, what else? Gol Darn!
Oh yeah. I gotta fix that wheel or take it into town
And that old rotten fence post. It really should come down.
Then all at once that alphabet soup appears before my eyes
And words begin to line up fast. It’s always a surprise
Then just like that I see the words of another dadgum pome
That happened here this morning, in our quiet Western home
I’m not as dumb as you might think. I learned my lesson here
I keep a pad of paper close to jot things down. No fear.
I grabbed the pad and then I saw the pages all were filled
The margins full of scribbles like a field that’s just been tilled
I sprang up quick to get a pad to write the pome down quick
It gelled and swelled deep in my mind. Yup, this one was real slick!
These words of beauty must be saved! I whispered to myself.
Ran to the den to fetch a piece of paper from the shelf
But none was there! Now where the heck’d I put the dang stuff now
Oh yeah up on the fridge I think I’m not sure why or how
I found it! Cleared a space to write beside the kitchen sink
The light was good, my mind was clear, my pen was out of ink!
Quick to the junk drawer find one quick. There must be one in there
Some drywall screws, some rubber bands, a magnet from the fair
Erasers, pins, some little springs, an empty Altoid tin
A busted piece of plastic and then at last, a pen.
Back to the counter, grab the pad and click that ballpoint out
My creative juices bubbling now, I felt that I should shout
My pen began to scratch the page but the pome it faded fast
It weren’t this bad when I was young but those days have all passed
Creative juices don’t last long I’m oh so sad to say
The only thing I thought to write was “Paint the barn today”.
