Player Piano

[couchgrouch]

Player PianoI stepped into a tavern, 'long the Texas lineand heard a player piano, play My Darling Clementinewhen I told the old barkeep, I hadn't seen one in yearshe said, "my granpa built this bar, that's how long it's been hereback then a feisty redhead, played it for a tipjar's sharebut when coins were slow to drop, she'd let men drag her upstairswhen that poor girl refused, a drunken rounder one nighthe put two slugs in her heart, and one in her sidebut oh..the songs she played, could make a spirit risepeople pass and hist'ry fades, but the music never diesthe rounder got the gallows, the judge loved that redhead, toothe evening of the hanging, crowds filled this saloonsomehow around midnight, the piano began to playgranpa lied and said he brought, a new one from Santa Febut oh..the songs she played, could make a spirit risepeople pass and hist'ry fades, but the music never dies"that barkeep finished his story, I shifted in my stoolI asked if he took me for, some city slicker fooljust then in the shadows, away from the chandelierI saw hair like shining rubies, then it disappearedand oh..the songs she played, could make a spirit risepeople pass and hist'ry fades, but the music never dies(c)2006 Robert George