The Listenen’ Church

Poetry and Photography by Mickey Delcambre

Well, good morning to you Mr.Jackson

Good morning to you, Mrs. Brown

It’s been quite some time Mr. Jackson

Thirty-two years, Mrs. Brown

You were married in this church I remember

To that sweet girl, Sarah Mae

Please tell me how is she doing

Why isn’t she with you today?

I’m fraid it’s a long long story

And I sure won’t waste your time

Let’s get in the shade of that tree there

I’ll listen, if you’ll be so kind.

Well you know I worked in the cane

And then I worked in the Mill

Was gonna be just like my daddy

Me and my brother Bill

But the Army called me up

They needed some men to fight

When I told poor Sarah Mae

She cried the rest of the night

So I told her I had two weeks

Before I had to go

We had the time to marry

No more could she say no.

So right in this here church

The preacher did us right

I only had three days left

Before I left to fight

Now Sarah stayed with my mother

While I flew off to Nam

I sent a lot of letters

She read them all to my mom

Now Mrs. Brown, I know it’s warm here

Sure you want to listen to this?

Young man I love to listen

Not one word will I miss

Now Jackson knew the reason

She wanted to listen well

The preacher’s talk was on listenen’

If you want to stay out of hell

So I fought in that terrible war

For three years did I stay

I looked to go home to Sarah

But I ended on a base with more pay

They let me go pick up my Sarah

And bring her to Georgia to stay

We had a nice home to raise up some kids

With schools and some places to play

Now Mrs. Brown was getting antsy

The sweat dripped down her cheek

Young man let’s talk about Sarah

She was sweltering in the heat

Well it all happened just two years ago

The cancer, it took her and she died

My children are married and live far away

And with that he looked down and he sighed

So I’m here at this church to start my new life

I’m too young to give it up now

I got a great start last time I was here

This preacher will show me how

She looked at this man and knew he was good

His story was long but so new

This church had the power to show him the way

If there was good listenen’ too