AT THE KING'S TOMB DURING FLOOD TIME

by Earl J. Wilcox

“Graceland is safe. And we would charge hell with a water pistol to keep it that way,"
said Bob Nations Jr., director of the Shelby County Emergency Management Agency.”

Friends and family stand at the ready
on the front lawn of gaudy Graceland---
Priscilla, Lisa Marie, four grandchildren,
Carl Perkins (his blue suede shoes damp
from a leak in his water pistol), Michael
Jackson, Nicholas Cage, while a southern
gospel quartet sings Shall We Gather
at the River?

Faithful guards with water pistols stand
at the ready on the mansion’s front lawn,
gawk at tourists who snap photos of the
Mississippi River at flood tide, file past
the King’s tomb, his home forever flooded
by gold, silver, and platinum LPs plus
green shag carpet on the floors and walls.


Earl J. Wilcox writes about aging, baseball, literary icons, politics, and southern culture. His work appears in more than two dozen journals; he is a regular contributor to The New Verse News. More of Earl's poetry appears at his blog, Writing by Earl.
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