Touchdown in Memphis

by Jonathan Kraft

Written in October 1993 when Jonathan was 13

(This is one of the first poems I wrote that I shared with other people.)

Touchdown in Memphis

Touchdown in Memphis

I went up into the dark,

and I saw there was no one there.

I went up into the night,

and I heard the sirens blare.

I rushed up to the ladder,

as fast as I possibly could.

I said a very quick prayer,

as I knew that I should.

I saw the sky burst in flames,

and I felt the ground shake.

I saw it falling from the sky,

a speck, a tiny flake.

I felt a slight shudder,

as I rolled along the sand.

I knew that Jesus was with me there,

I felt his open hands.

I heard the siren start the wail,

and I saw a shadow appear.

I saw the sky had start on fire,

and I’d begun to fear.

There was a whisper in the distance,

a quiet, ever small sound.

It said, “Don’t you forget me now,”

then I crashed into the ground.

Then the whisper came, closer now,

a louder, softer sound.

The words seemed to stack on top of each other,

a continuously building mound.

“If you get there before I do,

don’t give up on me.

I’ll be there when my chores are through,

I don’t know how long I’ll be,

but I’m not gonna’ let you down,

just you wait and see,

and between now and then ’til I see you again,

I’ll be loving you,

Love,

Me

Touchdown in Memphis,

the faith is ever thinning.

Touchdown in Memphis,

the people are always winning.

Touchdown in Memphis,

in the middle of a pouring rain.

Touchdown in Memphis,

and you no longer feel the pain.

By doing what we know is right,

we will always win the fight.

Touchdown in Memphis,

Touchdown

In

Memphis