Family Heirloom Tobacco Sticks
     ©2004, Roger Judd, CaneyFork Publishing, BMI


     They were split from offn'a chestnut log
     that came from back on Grandpaw's farm
     He took the mules and snaked it down
     from off the Clouse Mountain's steepest side

     Making a living was hard to do
     way back in 1932
     but whiskey and Backer were selling high
     and Grandpa had a plan to see us thru

     We sawed, and chopped, and beat, and cussed
     while Paw, he fed the wood to us
     We couldn't see the use in it
     but Grandpa taught us to work, till it was done

     burning a bed had to be done
     then pulling plants when the time was come
     and pegging it out just after a rain
     You see, son, back then it was the only way...

     [ these are the Family Heirloom Tobacco Sticks    ]
     [ I'm passing them on to you                      ]
     [ Raising backer is a thing of the past           ]
     [ but I've got to make you understand             ]
     [ the things your gonna inherit aint made of wood ]

     Then August came and it was hot
     and time to cut our family's crop
     with knives and spikes and homemade sticks
     we hung it on the tier poles in the barn

     then we stripped and tied in careful hands
     and hung back on the sticks again
     and when in case, we packed it down
     to haul it to the auction in the town

     Then finally close to Christmas time
     Grandpa got the money, and I remember
     for a day, or two, we were
     sitting on the top of the world