Oh Grandpa Won't You Wake Up

Oh Grandpa Won't You Wake Up

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I come on this day full of sadness
I come here to say farewell
I know soon this world you'll be leaving
I can hear the tolling of the bells

you gave me a guitar on my birthday
taught me all the names of the trees
in summer we'd go off hiking
in the fall I helped you rake leaves

Oh grandpa won't you wake up
let me hear your voice sing once again
oh grandpa why must you grow older
oh grandpa let's go on home

I touch your arm the skin it's grown colder
all these tubes in your arms they scare me
the machines hiss and make evil sounds
your alive but you ain't how you used to be

I know there's somewhere you can hear me
I know the doctors got it all wrong
I know I'll hear your voice again
Singing those old folk songs

Oh grandpa won't you wake up
let me hear your voice sing once again
oh grandpa why must you grow older
oh grandpa let's go on home

Please grandpa won't you wake up
I've been waiting here oh so long
Someplace I hear your voice saying
My dear boy you must be strong

What's true cannot be taken
what's alive does not truly die
someday my boy you'll realize
Why I did not say goodbye

Oh dear boy won't you wake up
It's time for you to sing your song 
In the pines you'll hear me singing
In your heart my folk songs live on

Oh dear boy won't you wake up
Oh grandpa won't you wake up
Oh dear boy won't you wake up
Oh dear boy…….

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Written by David Penn Trinley Arndt for his grandfather who left this world long ago. In the stillness of the night I can still hear his voice singing. I heard his song tonight and knew he wanted me to share this with all of you. His song was written twenty-two years ago and revised today in the early morning hours May, 15, 2022.

© David Penn Trinley Arndt 2022

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Image by Matthew Lopez