As a young girl she learned to play
All the church hymns and songs by ear
On an old pump organ, best of the day
Finding the notes her mind could hear.
When the time came for her to wed
She traded the keys for a soup ladle
And just hummed the runes instead
To the rhythm of a rocking cradle.
The children grew and years went by
And her fingers itched again to play.
To release the songs in her memory
She had to plan and find a way.
In a newspaper she spotted an ad
Proclaiming an auction in the county.
Perhaps an old organ could be had
Among the machines and farm bounty.
Harvest over, her man had time
To indulge his hardworking wife
And give her a gift sublime
To gladden the rest of her life.
He gassed up his old trusty truck
And off they went to the auction site,
Hoping they would have good luck
And find an organ that was just right.
Then “sold” the auctioneer said
And a lovely dusty old organ was bought.
With help they loaded it onto the truck bed
Complete with the twirly stool they got.
No passenger seat for her would do.
No, she climbed up into the back
And her fingers found the keys so true,
Playing as she again found her knack.
So down the road ever so slow,
Her man grinned as he drove,
As she made joyful music to go
Over the miles with his love.
Eunice Perneel Cooke
Copyright May 2024
