The Dashboard

Chris Young


We laughed and joked in the cab of his truck
Just my brother and me
The night before he shipped out overseas
A leather-neck, jarhead marine

He said "the radiator leaks,
And the timing-belt is worn,
But the heart and soul of this old beat up truck,
Is the dashboard."

"it's seen alot of tan legs,
Got a kick ass radio
Heard alot of singing along with some country songs, and rock and roll.
Got a .38 bullet hole, courtesy of Kate Tillman's dad,
Alot of scotch tape marks from holding timeless photo graphs."
He said "if I don't come back,
You can have this ford,
Just tape a picture of me, on the dashboard."

He said "the paint is peeling off,
It's got dents in both the doors,
If something happens to me don't hang a for-sale sign above the dashboard."

"it's seen alot of tan legs,
Got a kick ass radio
Heard alot of singing along with some country songs, and rock and roll.
Got a thirty eight bullet hole, courtesy of Kate Tillman's dad,
Alot of scotch tape marks from holding timeless photo graphs."
He said "if I don't come back,
You can have this ford,
Just tape a picture of me, on the dashboard."

I had the engine overhauled,
A paint-job and brand new chrome
I had her washed and waxed, sittin' in the drive the day that he came home

I said "here's the keys,
She's all yours,
I fixed everything,
But the dashboard"


Writer/s: Monty Criswell