tom
Bumpa, the grandfather I knew, grew up in Mahtowa, Minnesota on the wrong side of the tracks. He spent his adolescent years excelling at everything the community valued from sports to academics. The pastor singled out my grandfather as someone to go to college for theology and follow in his footsteps. A few months later my grandmother Nene was pregnant and Bumpa spent the next forty years working at the paper mill.
Tom, my dad, is in his final years of working as a pastor before retiring. He is a master of his craft. A few years ago while we were both in Minnesota visiting my grandparents we parked on the road next to his childhood home in a rented convertible Mustang and talked about the source of things. For me, rituals like these and his music are some of life’s greatest gifts.
the moon is on the rise, it’s a cold and dark damp night
looking for a little warmth, looking for a little light
traveling much too long, searching for that song
heard in a dream somewhere a thousand years ago
out on the road east of the Mississippi, looking for a place to park these wheels and slow this baby down
the years roll by like thunder, children grow older
they’re just fine though they seldom did quite as they were told
was it in a dream, was it in a day
few things got broken on that lonesome way
out on the road east of the Mississippi, looking for a place to park these wheels and slow this baby down
the dog ran on the road, a truck was running too
he hit that dear black dog and he starting turning blue
we both howled through the night, wondering if a little light
would shine through the darkness of all those broken dreams
what have you done to the rose that was given, planted deep within you heart to grow wild and free
what have you done to the rose that was given, planted deep within you heart to grow beautiful and free
out on the road east of the Mississippi, looking for a place to park these wheels and slow this baby down
out on the road east of the Mississippi, looking for a place to park these wheels and slow this baby down
[39] June 20, 2021