A poem a day for 2013 - day 73- I wish I played an instrument

If my mother is reading this right now
She is saying out loud to herself
See, I tried to get you guys
To continue with your piano lessons

Even though my sister and I are not guys
Even though I didn't/don't want to play the piano
Not for the church choir
Or behind the preachers when they hoop and holler
Not even to learn
We. Are. Sold. Iers.
For the ushers to march around
During the offering
For the building fund

But then in 1979 what girls
Were playing the upright bass
I wish I saw one
I wish one came to my church
I wish a girl came to my church
To celebrate some anniversary of something
Because there were so many of those
And she drove some cool old car
And smelled like something sinful
Like cigarettes or pussy
And had a tattoo or
Something the deacons would
Be all in a fuss about

And she got up in that pulpit
With her long black skirt
Her faded denim jacket
And her yellow Chuck Taylor's
And played
Gonna walk around heaven all day long
Even though what heaven worth its salt will be
Boring enough to just wanna do that
But then I understand
Because a girl's gotta rest some time

And she cried a little bit
When she got to the end of the song
Then paused for a minute after the last note
Then threw her arm in the air like
Yeah
And all the church ladies
And all the church men
Couldn't close their mouths back together again

That would have been nice
Where were role models like that
Back then