Interesting who finds a home in this music–
as Loretta sang, “If your eyes are on me
then you’re looking at country,” assumptions 
be dammed. You’d think I got it from my parents,
who were more concerned with 60s pop, the Beatles, rock
and, later, gospel and contemporary Christian above all.

Instead, I shared this country love with older folks–
old bluegrass festivals with memaw and papaw,
Elvis, Merle, Marty Robbins on vinyl I bought
from the flea market men. I appreciated those folks
who used to tell me which songs they knew 
by heart, which stories brought back the past–
whose daddy rocked them in a wood chair
and sang “Gold Watch and Chain” so tenderly.