Johnson Hay Store

Scott Whitby, 2020

Eaton bottom and river

Everyone so poor

Nothing else there

Except Johnson Hay Store

Old wood stove

Old wood store

Unreal now

Was there a lock on the door?

Sold gas

Under the Esso name

Can't get there from here

He told the ol' dames

Candy and sandwiches

Not so sure I'd eat now

But pro'Iy would

We survived somehow

They played Dominos

Stories they'd say

Get back from the moon?

Billy said "ain't no way!"

Scared me so bad

Mr. Jones bad arm

Willie D just laughed

What's the alarm?

Cash register was simple

How did it measure?

Johnson didn't care

Friends were the treasure

Old men played checkers

And sat all around

Think what you think but

Here intelligence was found

It seemed so simple

Johnson Hay Store

Old men's wisdom

And all the old lore

We went there most nights

But for school and all

We didn't stay too long

Momma might call

One day it's all gone

Burned to the ground

Nobody heard

Even a sound

Crooks took the dollars

All the coins left behind

What did they want?

Out of their mind

Johnson Hay Store

Forever no more

If I could find them

I'd even the score

I think back today

About Johnson Hay Store

What would I'd learned?

Knowledge galore

It's all done now

Nothing to learn

Those stupid bastards

Set it to burn