Mae Smith



Mae Smith ia s woman with
ringlets of grey hair
and old straw hat with a red ribbon that
hides them back with care
she works all day in her garden of flowers
don't see a soul for hours and hours
she's singing songs
that her sisters use to do

Charlie Smith is a man with
a mind inclined to roam"he loves to ride round the countryside
he leaves poor Mae at home
he don't like her going to town
seeing other folks and fooling around
she can sing at home
like her sisters used to do

Charlie will tell how very well
her sister's band could play
they've all died but Mae still tries
to keep on anyway
he bought her a banjo throught the mail
and a mandolin at an auction sale
he likes to hear those songs
her sisters used to do

once I went to represent
a musical archives
the scholars there astutely care
to keep your songs alive
at the university
there's lots of curiosity
they'd like to have those songs
your sisters used to do

but Mae's too sy to play when I
visit her at home
Charlie don't like her having no friends
and playing out on her own
I see him there on the courthouse square
and wonder how I will ever dare
to get those songs
her sisters used to do

one day when Charlie's away
and it was raining showers
I dropped by and asked if I
could visit for an hour
just in case that I forget
may I turn on my cassette
I"d like to learn those songs
your sisters use to do

She turned away and then did say
when you've reached my age
memories of families
can hold you like a cage
while we're here all alone
you hand me that microphone
now you sing me songs
my sisters never knew

Mae Smith is a woman with
ringlets of grey hair
an old straw hat with a red ribbon that
hides them back with care
she works all day in her garden of flowers
don't see a soul for hours and hours
she's singing songs
her sisters never knew