thirty five years ago michael reid
maybe nineteen hitch hiked illinois
his banjo on his knee singing names
to the tune of the irish washerwoman
later at walker church minneapolis
his first theatrical performance he
called it land o lincoln, give it a try:
chicago joliet coal city dwight
odell pointiac chenoa lexington
towanda normal bloomington
funk’s grove mcclean atlanta lawndale
lincoln broadwell elkhart williamsville
sherman springfield glenarm auburn
farmersville atwater litchfield
white city mount olive livingston
warden hamel edwardsville troy
east st louis belleville
michael I drove much of that route
yesterday sang the towns I passed
also the ones the highway missed
but has exit signs such as mt pulaski
well then there’s benld but how to
work that one into a song beats me

© 2010 Jacqueline Jackson