H! Thank-you for the warm welcomes and birthday wishes. I put the title of the song 'Ode to Billy Joe' as it was just playing on the radio and explains a bit about why this site interests me and why I am so sad. If you are familiar with the song and/or movie then you will understand a bit about what happened to my son. Of course the story would have to be updated to this century but basically the story of Billy Joe is very similar to my son's life. Having just heard the song I am crying an ocean of tears so I hope this post makes some sense. I find the comments and information here very helpful. I noticed a post discussing flaws vs. gifts that was getting a lot of response. For me I have to learn to love myself - flaws and gifts included. Mari
- Thread starter Mari
- Start date
HA
Member
Hello Mari,
Yes, I remember that song well. I used to have the 45 and played it on my portable record player. :dimples:
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your son. Cry your river of tears if you have them. One thing I learned from therapy was that when the sadness/tears/memories happen to let them flow as hard and as long as they need to rather than trying to hold them back. That's what tears are for...to help heal the wounds.
Love & hugs
:hug:
Ode to Billie Joe
by Bobbie Gentry
It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay
And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
And Mama hollered out the back door "y'all remember to wipe your feet"
And then she said "I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge"
"Today Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
And Papa said to Mama as he passed around the blackeyed peas
"Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please"
"There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow"
And Mama said it was shame about Billy Joe, anyhow
Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
And now Billy Joe MacAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
And Brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billie Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night?
"I'll have another piece of apple pie, you know it don't seem right"
"I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge"
"And now you tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
And Mama said to me "Child, what's happened to your appetite?"
"I've been cookin' all morning and you haven't touched a single bite"
"That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today"
"Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way"
"He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge"
"And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
A year has come 'n' gone since we heard the news 'bout Billy Joe
And Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo
There was a virus going 'round, Papa caught it and he died last Spring
And now Mama doesn't seem to wanna do much of anything
And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge
And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge
Yes, I remember that song well. I used to have the 45 and played it on my portable record player. :dimples:
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your son. Cry your river of tears if you have them. One thing I learned from therapy was that when the sadness/tears/memories happen to let them flow as hard and as long as they need to rather than trying to hold them back. That's what tears are for...to help heal the wounds.
Love & hugs
:hug:
Ode to Billie Joe
by Bobbie Gentry
It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay
And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
And Mama hollered out the back door "y'all remember to wipe your feet"
And then she said "I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge"
"Today Billy Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
And Papa said to Mama as he passed around the blackeyed peas
"Well, Billy Joe never had a lick of sense, pass the biscuits, please"
"There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow"
And Mama said it was shame about Billy Joe, anyhow
Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
And now Billy Joe MacAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge
And Brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billie Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night?
"I'll have another piece of apple pie, you know it don't seem right"
"I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge"
"And now you tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
And Mama said to me "Child, what's happened to your appetite?"
"I've been cookin' all morning and you haven't touched a single bite"
"That nice young preacher, Brother Taylor, dropped by today"
"Said he'd be pleased to have dinner on Sunday, oh, by the way"
"He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge"
"And she and Billy Joe was throwing somethin' off the Tallahatchie Bridge"
A year has come 'n' gone since we heard the news 'bout Billy Joe
And Brother married Becky Thompson, they bought a store in Tupelo
There was a virus going 'round, Papa caught it and he died last Spring
And now Mama doesn't seem to wanna do much of anything
And me, I spend a lot of time pickin' flowers up on Choctaw Ridge
And drop them into the muddy water off the Tallahatchie Bridge
texasgirl
MVP
Mari, that song still carries as much power as it did when it first came out. I am so sorry that you lost your son. Having lost a baby myself many years ago, I understand the immensity of the pain and , like HeartArt says, cry as much as you feel the need. There are some things that are beyond words.
Take care,
TG
Take care,
TG
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
I don't believe there is any greater pain in the universe than that felt by a parent who has lost a child.
Into The Light
MVP
as a mother myself, i cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose one of my children. i think it probably would be the worst pain in the universe.
i am so sorry for your loss, mari. i hope you can find the support and the information you are looking for, and strength from that to keep going.
i am so sorry for your loss, mari. i hope you can find the support and the information you are looking for, and strength from that to keep going.
ThatLady
Member
There is no pain equal to that of losing a child. My heart goes out to you.
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