in a close-knit family with little money
attending the Assembly of God Church
music and preaching registering deeply
moving to Memphis with his parents
living in public housing and low-rent homes
roaming Beale Street for clothes
absorbing black blues and gospel
wearing his hair long
letting his sideburns grow
roaming the halls of Humes High
dreaming of singing with the Blackwood Brothers
working after graduation at Parker Machinist Shop
Precision Tool then Crown Electric Company
driving a truck and going to night school
dropping by Sun Studio
making a demo for his mother
then later cutting “Big Boy” Cruddup’s
“That’s All Right, Mama”
backed by “Blue Moon of Kentucky”
rebuffed by the Grand Ole Opry
officials suggesting he go
back to driving a truck which he does
but not before appearing on
“Louisiana Hayride,” the Opry’s rival
meeting Colonel Tom Parker, ex-carney
refusing his contract
walking into the induction center
speaking courteously
“Sorry, Sir, I’d like to serve
but my mama’s got this heart condition
and my daddy needs me”
reading the Bible
listening to pop tunes
and country music radio
seeing Ann-Margret, Swedish sex kitten
on a billboard
on a long haul to LA
lusting for a moment, then coming home
to his doe-eyed wife Pris
and daughter Lisa Marie who favors him
all full lips and limpid eyes
sometimes sermonizing
in a white frame church
on Sunday morning
singing with the quartet
letting the sweet, sweet Spirit lift him up
sitting on the front porch swing
of his doublewide
strumming his guitar
in the honeyed twilight
of grace land
hair white like Vernon’s
an ironic smile playing on his face
wondering only once in a while
what might have been
an angel hovering
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