Poem of the Month: The Ballad of Little Sparrow

I was listening to a podcast recently that reminded me of the astonishing musical gifts of Dolly Parton. I tend to forget about music, even music I love, and listening to this podcast brought back a lot of great memories of her unparalleled songs, and also introduced me to some of her newer work. It also brought back a less fond memory of an ill-advised, 10-week long poetry contest I entered once, a mistake I shall not make again. One of the assignments was to write a poem about Dolly Parton, using words from specific songs of hers. This one was the winner that week. (Note—I have changed the title from the original.) Enjoy!

The Ballad of Little Sparrow

When did you love Dolly most?

When she was a hummingbird,

thrumming to stun.

My lithest daughter, my rawboned one,

sang vibrato; lullaby bait

to keep the grieving from our gate.

We joined with her, round by round.

Little sparrow, little sparrow,

your voice has that high, lonesome sound.

When did you love Dolly most?

When she was a raven,

bedraggled with sorrow,

and I sought soulfulness to borrow.

My first in-love-with; Lady Lament.

We sang together of sweet descent,

baptized anguish, but never drowned.

Little sparrow, little sparrow,

your voice has that high, lonesome sound.

When did you love Dolly most?

When she was a swan

unwinding her throat,

holy host to the mercy note.

Her gospel pierced like a keening wren,

and Jesus made me whole again.

Sinner lost and poor man found.

Little sparrow, little sparrow,

your voice has that high, lonesome sound.

When did you love Dolly most?

When she was a Scarlet Ibis;

a quick flame branding sea.

My voice has long been dead in me,

a corpse bud on a sickly vine.

But it waxes bright as clementine

when I sing with her, my bold unbound.

Little sparrow, little sparrow,

your voice has that high, lonesome sound.

—Kristen McHenry