PDF

Melons


by Chad Smith


This is the folly of foley
When the real sound we hear doesn't register as fact
Gun shot in a crowd mistaken
For a firecracker or backfire
Not use to hearing for real
Only know the multilayered gun blast

Sound effects made for radio and the movies
Named after Jack Foley the man
Household objects used
A block of wood, a length of tube, dry rice in a can
Sounds of footsteps walking on pavement
The wisp of a dress blowing in the wind

Johnny called one morning to ask
If I would come and help him on the movie set
Without a job of my own I was up to the task
Lined up along side the wall a sad group of melons
A baseball bat a large pipe a hammer and axe
An assortment of microphones strategically set

Gripping the bat Johnny stares at my head
With all his might he swings and smacks the watermelon
The force pulverizes it with a loud thud and crack
Chunks of pink innards burst out with a splat
He rolls the pumpkin over to me
I set the hammer down and take the bat
Endcap