Track 5 of the album Saudade Sundays · 2020
Miss Abernathy's Red Pen
“A teacher with a red pen who made me braver than I felt. We kept the piano warm and the drums almost silent.”
bossa nova · bossa nova · nostalgic jazz · 3:31
Lyrics
Miss Abernathy, third-row light Chalk on her sleeve, her glasses tight I was the boy who would not read She slipped a book in my hand and said Just try the first page, that's all I need Oh, her red pen wrote a little star Said you're going further than you are One kind word in a quiet hand Taught a shy boy where to stand Miss Abernathy, here I am Still walking on your little star She stayed behind when the bell had rung Taught me to say the words on my tongue Rain on the window, the radiator hum She said take your time, the words will come And one by one, the words did come Oh, her red pen wrote a little star Said you're going further than you are One kind word in a quiet hand Taught a shy boy where to stand Miss Abernathy, here I am Still walking on your little star I never said thank you out loud I was too small in that crowd But every page I turn tonight Still has your red pen's light Now I read to the kids on the rug Give them a book and a little hug And when one stumbles, I just smile Say take your time, stay a while I learned it from you, all this while Oh, her red pen wrote a little star Said you're going further than you are One kind word in a quiet hand Taught a shy boy where to stand Miss Abernathy, here I am Still walking on your little star Thank you, Miss Abernathy Thank you for the star