Well Mom, here's the dufflebag I brought you back. I didn't have time to pick up a ribbon for it. Lonesome EJ and I barely got to the airport on time to get home.

Mom's Duffel

There's three cans of untouched Guinnes and a dozen cans of stout
I'ld-a brought along the dark rum, but the damn stuff just ran out!
There's a clutch of broken strings to use on over-stuffed trash bags
And half a bag of cookies to for to make yer bottom sag.
But there's lots of smiles and laughter and a million tunes or two
And a pair of wornout Levi's that are wet with autumn dew
And in the bottom of the bag, until we meet again
Are the thoughts and tender wishes of two hundred folkie friends!
They've been dancing on the tables and smoking on the lawn
And inventing sweet new harmonies to swell the sounds of song
They've been roaring drunk and thoughtful, and all things in between
Oh, this Getaway was the richest thing that I have ever seen.
There were brilliant English whistlers and tawdry Yankee whalers,
There were hearts and tarts and hugs enough to satiate a sailor
There were songs from early morning til the rising of the sun
And I came back home exhausted, but I had a lot of fun.
So Mother dear, now I am here, I'll give ya better shrift,
And to prove how much I love ya, I have brought you all these gidts!

Love,


A