Ode to a
Balladeer
He sang the heart of America
From a place in the deepest soul
He understood the working man
A woman left yearning
A child’s world of wonder
An elder in an old folks home
What it’s like to be alone
He put himself inside
A stranger at your door
The deepest wounds of war
A woman at the kitchen sink
Wondering what it’s for
He dug beneath the surface
Tapped deep into the core
He was loved everywhere he went
An angel from Montgomery sent
Never lonely in his later years
Never had to buy a beer
A brother or a friend most dear
A warm smile was always near
At home in every town
With saints or sullen clowns
Now he’s on the other side
Looking back at us with that wry grin
Maybe tipping a glass of gin
Waiting for someone to say
Hello out there
Goodbye
He understood us better than
We understand ourselves
(for John Prine)
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