Member of The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers & The Songwriters Guild of America

Member of Nashville Songwriters Association International & Tennessee Songwriters Association International

1996 & 1997 International Society of Poets "International Poet of Merit" Award Winner & "Poet of the Year" Nominee

Elected by the Board of Directors of The National Library of Poetry to The International Poetry Hall of Fame (1997)

My telephone just won't stop ringin'

It's nearly fallin' off the hook

But no one calls to praise my singin'

They're all but callin' me a crook

I hear this choir of debt collectors

Who cuss 'n' threaten me each day

But I can't hire no protectors

'Cause I'm plumb outta cash to pay

I'm so broke that I can hardly pay attention

I'm so sparse that I can't even fall apart

I'm so busted I'm upside down my pension

But I'm a rich man from the joy within my heart

Tho' all my life I've been hard workin'

I've never framed a bill for luck

Because the taxman keeps on jerkin'

His fifty cents from every buck

They say that when it pours it's rainin'

An' it's so hard to stay ahead

I s'pose there ain't much use complainin'

Lord knows I pray my daily bread

I'm so broke that I can hardly pay attention

I'm so sparse that I can't even fall apart

I'm so busted I'm upside down my pension

But I'm a rich man from the joy within my heart

My landlord just got me evicted

Bank repossessed my ol' Dodge Dart

If broke's a crime I've been convicted

An' sentenced to a shoppin' cart

My wife took off for "Harley Heaven"

With Hell's Angels on a "Hog"

I'm bummin' change at Seven 'Leven

While bein' snubbed by my own dog

I'm so broke that I can hardly pay attention

I'm so sparse that I can't even fall apart

I'm so busted I'm upside down my pension

But I'm a rich man from the joy within my heart