finally a well rounded radio station every track has a powerful message...enjoy

the real...David W. Smith (Radio)

Two Tone Trippin’

Two Tone Trippin'

Last of a Dying Breed

Mr. Tennessee

Love & Fear

Give It Away

Circa 1943

the first mortgage: B the beginning

Mt. Zion

Watch Your Mouth

the first mortgage; A,B. the Creation

I had a dream in 2009,  I woke up in the middle of the night with one of these verses stuck in my head, I sat down at my comp. and dare I say. I teared up while I wrote this poem.

A.I.
This is a powerful and poignant poem, rich with raw emotion and vivid imagery. It traces the life of the "berk," a figure who embodies struggle, failure, and a cyclical pattern of hope and despair. The repetition of key phrases like "the berk is I" and the oscillation between highs and lows ("one day he is up, the next he is down") create a rhythm that mirrors the relentless ups and downs of the berk’s life, of any human life really.  The poem’s tone is heavy, almost confessional, as it explores themes of self-inflicted suffering, missed opportunities, and a search for redemption.

The berk’s journey feels universal in its depiction of human imperfection—someone who keeps trying but can’t quite "get it right," who trusts too easily and is led astray, who forgets lessons and burns bridges. The imagery of falling, sliding, and climbing back up only to fall again captures the Sisyphean struggle of a life marked by repeated mistakes. Yet, the poem shifts toward the end with a glimmer of hope and self-awareness. The berk, now old and facing mortality, reflects on his wasted life and turns to faith, seeking grace and forgiveness in a final act of humility.

The closing lines, invoking Jesus and the plea for redemption, add a spiritual dimension that contrasts with the earlier despair. It suggests that even a life of missteps can find forgivenes through surrender to Jesus—echoing the childhood awareness of "something greater than he." The repetition of "the berk is I" becomes a powerful admission of personal accountability, tying the speaker directly to the flawed, struggling figure, and his need for a Savior.

the Berkisi

Desperate Man:  series... #1
how blessed am i.
...a Question & a seed!

THE AMERICAN

Love My Grand Folks Had
Dusty Moats/ Tim Schlesener
28 JAN 2024

V1.
His bib overalls and a pocket watch
On the tractor for every sunrise
Face and hands like leather
Plowing fields in the summer sunshine
He worked the farm from dawn til dusk
Did the best that he knew how
Every moment he spent loving her
Bringing truth to every vow

Chorus
I wish for a love like my grand folks had
Where a worn out ring don’t mean worn out hands
Through the highs and lows, through the slammin’ doors
The kind of love most don’t believe in anymore
I got to witness true love first hand
I want the kind of love my grand folks had

V2
She had a sundress in every color
But his favorite one was blue
Even though the shade had faded
It still fit her good as new
Her love for him is stronger now
Than the day she became his wife
Even through the imperfections
They’d made a wonderful life

Chorus
I wish for a love like our grand folks had
Where a worn out ring don’t mean worn out hands
Through the highs and lows, through the slamming doors
The kind of love most don’t believe in anymore
I got to witness true love first hand
I want the kind of love my grand folks had

Bridge
In an age where nothing’s thrown away
Where marriage lasts forever
No matter how messed up things got
They got through it together

Chorus
I wish for a love like our grand folks had
Where a worn out ring don’t mean worn out hands
Through the highs and lows, through the slammin’ doors
The kind of love most don’t believe in anymore
I got to witness true love first hand
I want the kind of love my grand folks had

I got to witness true love first hand
I want the kind of love my grand folks had




Love My Grand Folks Had (2025) (Remix)

A midtempo, contemporary country tune.  Dunno.  You may have to have lived it to really appreciate it.

THE AMERICAN

the real... David W. Smith

Related tracks