River Road

That little bridge off Crawdad creek
I fished off is all gone
In its place is a cul-de-sac
with houses built all wrong
And down the block there was a Bonnie-Lynn
with the best burger in town
but when I went there recently
McDonald’s was on the ground
I wish I had the money
when my folks sold that old house
but that was such a long, long time ago
we lived across the street from that tall oak tree I used to call Big Joe.
In a yellow house
on River Road.
In high school we were called the 'party house'
with a basement dance floor.
Dad was always working late
so Momma manned the door.
We had girls downstairs, she didn’t care she’d yell
'Hey, I’m coming down'
And then she’d wait for a few minutes
so nothing could be found.
I wish I had the money
when my folks sold that old house
but that was such a long, long time ago
we lived across the street from that tall oak tree I used to call Big Joe.
In a yellow house
on River Road.
When I was eighteen, Momma and Daddy put a 'for sale' sign
out on our front lawn.
Strangers came to see our house
and then the sign was gone.
Those last few days we lived with the boxes
were hard on everyone.
Us four kids cried, so did Daddy
but Momma she stayed strong. She said
'We'll always be a family no matter where we are.'
And then cried up all her tears as she loaded up the car
We drove for miles and miles
but we didn’t get far
I wish I had the money
when my folks sold that old house
but that was such a long, long time ago
we lived across the street from that tall oak tree I used to call Big Joe.
In a yellow house
on River Road.
A little yellow house
on River Road.