Joan Reese

COALTOWN HOSE

American Hose  red flag flyin\',
Upstairs bar servin\' beer and shots,
Hosie money keeps fire trucks rollin\',
Mostly men a drinkin\', a few sex pots.

Grandpap worked the coal mines, Pap too.
Cindy bartendin\'at fourteen,
Birthed Bubba from messin\' with Lou,
Lives in a trailer, just them two.

Lou was strange in what he liked to do,
Nightly back alley peepin\', ladies panties
Pocketed from wash lines, Coaltown knew!
They all blamed it on his low IQ.

Lou died; heart attack at fiftytwo.
Cindy never told Bubba his pap was Lou.  
All of Coaltown knew  but woundn\' say;
They all sat close in church to pray.

Bubba, he\'ll never make it on his own,
Always askin\' family for a loan,
Jobs last long enough for him to collect;
Unemployment line is what he does best. 

Cindy\'s sis is different from the rest,
Sherry cashiers at Bullets and Burgers.
Hunters’ belts loaded with ammunition,
Watchin\' Sherry, thinkin\' nice chest.

She\'s the only one to make it to college,
Becoming all smart in her ways.   
Sherry \"made it\" with her professor,  
Their VFW, family style wedding was in May.

They settled down in a highfalutin town,
Weekends they journey to coaltown,
Family and friends, hands down
Wish Sherry would come home to stay.


*Hosie bar was located above the volunteer fire house