for all those Emmy Lou's

the VOCALS are NOT

the voice or the lyrics

not the tone or ability

range or ricochet

from guitar line to drumbeat

to pedal steel twang



the vocals are the little girl

who climbed the tree of the world

helped by spirits of artists and heroes

over the bones of those wrecked

by this insane business

where failure is a recurring honky tonk nightmare

clock strikes closing time over and over

drunks unable to fly safely home

let alone discern the gravy and the gold

in that "pretty, little songbird's" soul



but she sure as hell did not fail



she was starlight in a match

held to the cigar of a music exec

who tapped his feet and teared up at the sound

of her singing, 50 years ago

taking her one shot at breaking the back

of that Appalachian family devil called despair