Easy Street
by Carl Clay Caulkins
On a Sunday I came back
to my one room country shack
It was late afternoon
in early Spring
You sat there on the bare mattress
long hair fallin’ all down your back
The sun was sinking low
and burning fiery red
When you turned your head
the bed began to sing
Like a dulcimer
made out of rusty springs
********
Easy Street
Where they play that Hawaiian guitar
They say that love is bittersweet
They say it leaves a scar
Oh Nancy
Let’s go dancin’ all the same
We can’t go wrong
As long as I just aim
this car
at that morning star
********
We ran off to Denver
Dead certain I was ready
To conquer the Country Western
music scene
You bought a silk kimono
and learned to cook spaghetti
At closing time in the taverns
I would sing “Goodnight Irene”
And then come waltzin’ home
with a jingle
and a jangle
down in the pockets
of my jeans
********
Easy Street
Where they play that Hawaiian guitar
They say that love is bittersweet
They say it leaves a scar
Oh Nancy
Won’t you dance with me all the same
We can’t go wrong
As long as I just aim
this car
at that morning star
********
Later in New England
I was Singing “Ring of Fire”
and thinking Paris France
or Budapest
I could see you at the corner table
turning down admirers
Pale as the moon
in your Sausalito dress
Sippin’ Rusty Nails
and rememberin’
the sunset that we saw
when we were runaways
passing through Wichita
heading for the West
********
Easy Street
Where they play that Hawaiian guitar
They say that love is bittersweet
They say it leaves a scar
Oh Nancy
We could dance through flames
maybe we’ll vanish without a trace
and laugh right in the devil’s face
yes we could end up anyplace
If I just aim
this car
at that morning star