It was a cold, crisp day, January 8, 1935,

When two little boys were born, one dead, one alive.

This was in Tupelo, Mississippi, the northern part of the state,

That these two little fellows began to meet their fate.


Little Jesse Garon, who was named for his granddad,

Was to meet his fate quickly, how very, very sad.

Elvis Aaron, named for his dad, was the second one born

And would grow up loved and respected, never scorned.


At this time the Great Depression was spread throughout the land,

And Gladys and Vernon worked hard with their hands

To provide their only child with the necessities of living,

And from their teachings he learned the joy of giving.


Their house wasn’t much, by the standards of today,

Two rooms and a porch, standing on a hill of clay.

A creek ran freely about a quarter mile away,

And when Elvis could he would go there to play.


Gladys loved this child enough for two,

And by her side he stayed, her whole life through.

He never disobeyed her wishes or brought her shame

In all their poverty, or all his fame.


Yes, this child of poverty, who had moved to Memphis, Tennessee,

Grew up to be the greatest person this world will ever see.

Happiness and laughter were his forte,

And we listened to him sing all night and all day.


His presence on stage was a sight to behold,

Arrayed in cloth of satin, diamonds and gold.

Suits like a rainbow, so pleasing to the eye,

His hair was black as ebony, his eyes the color of the sky.

His laughter was contagious; his smile was disarming----

In every act or deed he was always utterly charming.


There was an aura about him which cannot be explained;

It was like the mystery of the air, after it had rained.

His voice was described by all who heard him as a miracle;

What a joy and privilege to listen to a sound so lyrical.


His father said he was very “special” and that is why

He made us so happy until his time to die.

But even in his death we smile through our tears,

Because we remember him in all the past years,

And we will never forget this man who to us so freely gave his heart,

And he is with us always and we will never part.


Our hearts to him we did gladly surrender,

Whether he sang “Hound Dog” or “Love Me Tender.”

We didn’t really care the title of the tune,

Just let him sing and we would swoon.

If he could not have sung a note at all,

We would have loved him, this man who stood so tall.


He loved his God above all else,

Then he put his fans before himself.

He was very lonesome, I’m sure this is true---

He was made that way by me and you.


He sought peace “far from the maddening crowd’s ignoble strife,”

But it was too late—he had given us his life

He was at Graceland, the home he dearly loved,

When the angels came to take him to his home up above.

A book of Jesus Christ was clutched to his breast,

When he finally found peace and went to rest.


The stage is empty, the mike has no sound,

But the turntables continue to go round and round.

It brings his music, it brings tears to our eyes,

It brings a smile to our lips, and a heart that cries.


It was the “supreme day and the inevitable hour”;

We could not keep you; we did not have the power.

So you left us, and now you are free, with your mama in heaven,

For you started your last tour August 16, in the year of our Lord, 1977.


Dear Elvis, we promise, your memory will be kept alive,

And no matter what happens it will survive;

So be happy now and sing your songs

For the Glory of God and we’ll join you before long.


We miss you so.


© Joan Buchanan West

My Heartfelt Thanks to Joan
for so graciously sharing her beautiful-beautiful 'Elvis' poems !!!
Please drop her a note in appreciation of her great talent
and her love of Elvis.

~Made with Love~

Black Velvet

Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell
Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high
Mama's dancin' with baby on her shoulder
The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky
The boy could sing, knew how to move, everything
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Up in Memphis the music's like a heatwave
White lightening, bound to drive you wild
Mama's baby's in the heart of every school girl
"Love me tender" leaves 'em cryin' in the aisle
The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Every word of every song that he sang was for you
In a flash he was gone, it happened so soon,
what could you do?

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please

If you please, if you please, if you please

Recorded by Alannah Myles

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