Viva La Elvis - Abridged Version

VIVA LA ELVIS

In Tupelo Mississippi, twin baby boys were born,
To Gladys and Vernon Presley, but sadly one passed on.
They named him Jesse Garon, their hearts so full of pain,
And then came Elvis Aaron, a breath of sweet refrain.

One heart beating for the two, their spirits intertwined;
To restore faith and hope and joy to dear ones left behind.
Elvis grew from babe to boy his heart set on a goal,
From boy to man to legend; The King of Rock n’ Roll.

He lived in humble dwellings, his Pa his Ma and he;
Playing his guitar, singing songs, pure golden melodies.
Country, Gospel, Blues and Jazz the rhythms of the soul,
And Rock n’ Roll, the very core of hearts both young and old.

While rising up to stardom, his pelvis did he swing;
Some church folk banged the gavel to crucify ‘The King’.
Their efforts came to nothing, as fans from near and far,
Surged on with huge momentum, to win that holy war.

So once again he stood there, gyrating at his will,
Until the day he heard a call that made those hips stand still.
Called to serve his country, the nation’s rising star,
And while along that journey, he sadly lost his Ma.

On the first of May, a bride’s bouquet, a blush of summer wine,
Elvis wed Priscilla; his beautiful fraulein.
Soaring in her lover’s arms on the wings of destiny,
Nine months later they were blessed with gorgeous Lisa Marie.

The happiness they shared together wrapped in melody;
Like a poet’s dream, a symphony, a lover’s rhapsody.
Then fate stepped in and dealt a blow that tore the dream apart,
And in its wake it left a trail of tears and broken hearts.

‘The King’, on stage and silver screen, he took the world by storm,
A real hunk of burning love in a GI uniform.
He rocked the house to loud applause, he played the matador,
And  danced with pretty Hula girls in the Hawaiian sunset glow.

August 16, ’77 was the day ‘The King’ had died,
But forever lives the Legend, born on 8/1/35.
His mamma smiled and gently beckoned to her second born,
While holding close the one she’d lost that fateful winter’s morn.

The joy he brings to us down here can never be replaced,
Though many keep on trying in vain to fill the empty space.
His spirit fills all Graceland, to watch o’er kith and kin,
In the Heavenly sounds of Dixieland … I hear God joining in.

Elaine Randolph
Copyright ©2009 Elaine Randolph

Copyright © | Year Posted 2010



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Date: 8/4/2011 7:57:00 AM
Congratulations on your poetry making it through round one in the PoetrySoup International Poetry contest. I wish you the best in the final round Elaine. Love, Carol
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Date: 8/3/2011 8:21:00 AM
This is wonderful - loved every word of it. Congratulations on making the first round. Good luck with the finals.
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Date: 7/9/2010 2:12:00 AM
excellent poem, elvis would be so proud of it, you certainly seem to have an indepth knowledge of him in your writing, awesome. Harry
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Date: 7/6/2010 3:35:00 AM
Congratulations on your poetry being featured this week at PoetrySoup Elaine. May you have many more features. Love,Carol
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Date: 7/5/2010 2:48:00 PM
This was a well written poem about Elvis. I do hope you write many more to bless us with!
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Date: 7/5/2010 10:11:00 AM
Congrats Elvis, on having your poem being featured on the Poetry Soup homepage this week, you are such a great talent! keep up the great writes, and enjoy the honor. Love, Adeleke
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Date: 7/5/2010 6:51:00 AM
Many congrats on your feature this week. A wonderful tribute to Elvis. Rgds Janette
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Date: 7/4/2010 12:22:00 AM
To see the full version of VIVA LA ELVIS, please visit the website below: http://newsandimages.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=22&Itemid=160 Elaine :)
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Date: 7/3/2010 11:55:00 PM
Many thanks for your warm welcome and your helpful and wonderful comments and compliments. So happy you enjoyed reading my poem Viva La Elvis. I hope to post more poems in the future. Warmest wishes. Elaine
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Date: 7/3/2010 10:16:00 AM
I would like to welcome you to PoetrySoup Elaine. Wishing you the best in your writing endeavors. If you have questions please feel free to ask anyone here. We are all willing to help and if we don't know the answer we will find someone who does. Love, Carol
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Date: 7/3/2010 9:58:00 AM
Excellent!!! I could not stop reading, keep it up! -Brittany
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Date: 7/2/2010 3:19:00 PM
Welcome to Poetry Soup... so enjoyed reading your creative write tonight.. with luv from the "Sweetheart" in Hawaii..on vacation..
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Date: 7/2/2010 7:00:00 AM
This is such an excellent tribute to the King of Rock, Elvis. It shows how success takes root in the lives of people with determination. I like the images and the essence of the message. Welcome to Poetry Soup and keep writing. Great job! Joseph
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Date: 7/1/2010 11:07:00 PM
well done on the dedication, a poem that takes you to them WOW !!! words, enjoyed,..p.d.
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