MY ODE TO MEMPHIS

MY ODE TO MEMPHIS

BY TEMPIE

COPYRIGHT © 2007

Thank you my beloved for letting me go.
I'm coming back to visit,
You know I can not stay long.
I can see your smiles,
Over 6,000 miles.
You feel my beat,
As I pat my feet,
To our rhythm and our blues,
To our soul that Memphis grooves.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

Crossing our beautiful West Memphis Bridge,
Riding Proud Mary down the Mississippi River,
Taking our Trolley Downtown,
Dancing on Historic Beale Street.
Smelling all our Southern sweat and tears,
Of Our People through the years.
The Lorraine Motel where our brother
Dr. King, was shot and killed.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

All Nineteen floors of Baptist Hospital,
Torn down to dust.
Working in Pathology,
On the second floor.
Seeing Elvis come in,
On it's Helicopter Pad.
Hearing Rev. Al Green,
Preach in his Church.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

Sitting front row,
In our Mid-South Coliseum,
Watching the sweat of Luther, Teddy,
Earth, Wind & Fire, Gladys & her Pips,
The O’Jays, The Tempations, B.B.King.
And our Memphis own Bar’Kays.
Or at The Orpheum seeing Lou Rawls,
Lena Horne, The Wiz and more.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

Watching Michael Jackson & The Jackson Five,
Perform atop of Woolco Department Store.
Down Third street,
Pass the Post Office.
Close to LeMoyne-Owen College,
Around the block Stax Records.
Attending Central Academy of Music,
Then seeing our Issac Hayes.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

I’m coming back to visit,
And I won’t stay long.
Tipping In, Tipping Out,
As you always let me go.
Nashville to MeHarry, Fisk,
W.B.Dubois, Hank Aaron.
Or the Bluegrass Kentucky Derby,
The horses at Churchill Downs.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

To Windy City Chicago,
Taking My Memphis, My Soul,
My Rhythm and My Blues.
Cable TV, modelling close to Oprah,
Where she got her start.
Another black woman makes her mark.
Jessie Jackson, Mayor Washington,
Walter Peyton, Chicago Bulls.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

Twenty five years in My Memphis,
Twenty five years in Chicago.
Endorsing another Black Woman,
Being Democratic for President of USA.
Combining My Soul, My Rhythm, My Blues,
To make another Memphis Move,
Back to Mom and Dad,
To see their last smiles.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

Back in My Memphis with Family,
Seeing Whitehaven, Lakeview Gardens.
Friends, Geeter High School.
Passing the gates of Graceland on Highway 51,
Having foundations concrete,
To write my first Novel.
It was, Feelings that
Moved both my feet.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

To yet another great defeat,
Taking My Memphis and all within,
To find My Soulmate and My Best Friend.
Now My Home is 6,000 miles away.
Memphis, you know why I visit now
And I can not stay.
You let me take My Soul, My Rhythm, My Blues,
To mix it with My Reggae to make another Groove.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

To become a Brand New Me,
A New Soul Sister with A New Reggae Brother.
With the Roots of My Memphis,
And My Past all together,
Across the waters in a different weather.
Where people move faster,
Driving on different sides.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

Where Pigeons are everywhere,
Even in Queens’ Square.
Her face is on the purple money,
It’s not the same as your green.
But the essence of it’s loyalty is ever so true.
My Soulmate was born there in England 1962.
He loves both of us so dear,
So My beloved Memphis don’t you fear.
Many were then,
Now they are not.

I’ll bring him to visit across Our West Memphis Bridge,
Down Proud Mary on The Mississippi River.
With his guitar, his poems, years in Dominica to Beale Street too.
He’ll love My Memphis now his town!
As it now belong to both of Us!
He’ll just smile driving on opposite sides,
Spending green money looking for the Pigeons.
We Thank You Memphis for letting me go!
Many were then,
Now they are not.