Backyard Smoke And Sweet Tea

Sunburned shoulders

Flip-flops in the grass

Uncle Ray’s got his old straw hat

Telling jokes that never pass

Kids run wild

Chasing that red kite sky

Cooler’s full of “help yourself”

Potato salad piled high

It’s barbecue time in the backyard

Smoke in the air and a six-string sound

Pass that plate, pour that sweet tea

Friends showing up from all over town

Yeah we laugh too loud, stay too late

Fireflies dancing in the pines

Nothing fancy, feels just right

It’s barbecue time

Grandma’s humming

Turning ribs just slow

Neighbor brought a cherry pie

Says, “Y’all try a slice to-go”

Dog’s on patrol

Guarding every bone

We raise a toast in paper cups

To this beat-up patch of home

Phones in a pile on the old porch rail

Story after story, same tall tales

Smoke in my shirt, gonna wear it like a crown

’Cause these are the nights I write down