RADIO

Editor’s note: It is in the little moments that we find joy, especially those precious moments we share with family that remain fondly in our memories. In this poem, the author reminisces about his 1950s family pastime of listening to the radio.

By Rufus Stephenson

OUR RADIO WAS A PHILCO,

IT WAS OLD IN FIFTY-ONE,

A BATTERY SUPPLIED THE POWER

AND LISTENING WAS ALWAYS FUN.

THE CISCO KID AND LONE RANGER

ALONG WITH GENE AND ROY,

BUT MANY OTHERS WE ENJOYED

LIKE TARZAN, JANE AND BOY.

AFTER MONTHS OF USE, THE POWER FAILED

AND HAD TO BE REPLACED,

BUT LITTLE MONEY DID WE HAVE

AND LISTENING HAD TO WAIT.

WITH POWER LOW AND SITTING IDLE,

THE VOLUME SOON GOT WEAK,

BUT SEVERAL HOURS NEXT TO MOM’S COOK STOVE

CHARGED IT UP BUT NOT FOR KEEPS

IT DIDN'T LAST AND SOON RAN DOWN

BUT STILL THERE WAS ENOUGH POWER,

FOR US TO LISTEN, ON SATURDAY NIGHTS,

TO THE GRAND OLE OPERA HOUR.

IN 1951 AFTER MOM AND OUR STEPDAD WERE MARRIED, THE ONLY FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT WAS LISTENING TO AN OLD PHILCO BATTERY OPERATED, SHORTWAVE RADIO. THE BOYS HAD THEIR FAVORITE PROGRAMS BUT SO DID MOM AND OUR TWO SISTERS. A BIG RAY-O-VAC BATTERY PROVIDED POWER BUT AFTER MANY HOURS OF PLAY, IT GOT WEAK AND SOON LOST ITS CHARGE! WITH NO MONEY FOR A NEW BATTERY, WE WOULD PLACE THE OLD ONE NEXT TO MOM’S WOOD COOK STOVE IN THE SUMMER, BUT IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. AFTER A DAY, THE HEAT CHARGED IT UP AND WOULD LAST LONG ENOUGH TO LISTEN TO THE GRAND OLE OPERA ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS PRACTICE WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO PURCHASE A NEW BATTERY! WITH A NEW ONE, THE BOYS WOULD CONTINUE LISTENING TO THEIR HEROES BUT SO WOULD MOM AND OUR TWO SISTERS. SATURDAY NIGHT WOULD BE FUN AGAIN WITH EVERYONE SITTING AROUND THE RADIO LISTENING TO THE GRAND OLE OPERA!