I REMEMBER BACK
WHEN I WAS JUST
A CHILD OF NINE
OR TEN
WHEN THE RAINY
DAYS WOULD COME
THERE WASN'T MUCH
TO DO BACK THEN
SO I'D WANDER TO
THE BEDROOM
WHERE MY MAMA
ALWAYS SLEPT
TO THE FOOT OF HER
SOFT FEATHERBED
AND THAT OLD
CEDAR CHEST
NOW MAMA ALWAYS
KEPT THE KEY
IN WHAT SHE THOUGHT
A SECRET PLACE
JUST OUT OF REACH
OF LITTLE HANDS
INSIDE A TINY VASE
OH BUT LITTLE DID
SHE KNOW
I KNEW OF THE MEMORIES
SHE KEPT
AT THE FOOT OF HER
SOFT FEATHERBED
IN THAT OLD CEDAR
CHEST
AND THERE WERE
PICTURES OF MY DADDY
BEFORE THEY
WERE MARRIED
AND EVERY ONE OF
THEM WAS SIGNED
WITH LOVE SWEET
LOVE
AND THERE WERE BABY
SHOES IN BRONZE
LOCKS OF HAIR AND
TINY GOWNS
TIME CAN NEVER STEAL
THE MEMORIES
THAT ARE KEPT
LOCKED INSIDE
MY MAMA'S
CEDAR CHEST
NOW MAMA LOST
MY DADDY
WHEN I WAS VERY
YOUNG
BUT SHE NEVER LOST
HER COURAGE
OR THE STRENGTH
TO CARRY ON
ALL THROUGH THE
TRIALS OF LIFE
SHE'D SAY WE WERE SO
RICHLY BLESSED
BUT HER TREASURES
OF THIS WORLD
WERE LOCKED INSIDE
THAT CEDAR CHEST
NOW THOSE NIGHTS HAVE
LONG SINCE PASSED
WHEN I'D SEEN MAMA
ON HER KNEES
WITH THE BIBLE IN
HER HANDS
AS SLEEP GAVE WAY
TO MEMORIES
OH AND SHE IS WITH
MY DADDY NOW
AND ALL THAT
I HAVE LEFT
ARE THE TREASURES
AND THE MEMORIES
IN MAMA'S CEDAR
CHEST
AND THERE ARE PICTURES
OF MY DADDY
BEFORE THEY WERE
MARRIED
AND EVERY ONE OF
THEM IS SIGNED
WITH LOVE SWEET
LOVE
AND THERE ARE BABY
SHOES IN BRONZE
LOCKS OF HAIR AND
TINY GOWNS
TIME CAN NEVER STEAL
THE MEMORIES
THAT ARE KEPT
LOCKED INSIDE
MY MAMA'S
CEDAR CHEST
TIME CAN NEVER STEAL
THE MEMORIES
THAT ARE KEPT
LOCKED INSIDE
MY MAMA'S CEDAR CHEST