She lives alone
at the top of
the stairs
on that famous
street of one
thousand stares
and lounging
unaware
you may never
know she is
there, seducing
the senses of
the visiting princes
the madcap poet
the doctor, the man
from India,
anyone with a sin
to convey, or maybe
just a tale will
emerge in between
the cozy walls,
lights low and soft
or bright,
she is home day
or night to so many
ideas, midnight rambles
earthly shambles
love stories, morning
glories, all of it
hidden behind the
façade of history
she remains a mystery
even to those of us
who worship at the
gate, we bring our
words and quirks
our sounds of mercy
and laughter
at the top of
the stairs
on that famous
street of one
thousand stares
and lounging
unaware
you may never
know she is
there, seducing
the senses of
the visiting princes
the madcap poet
the doctor, the man
from India,
anyone with a sin
to convey, or maybe
just a tale will
emerge in between
the cozy walls,
lights low and soft
or bright,
she is home day
or night to so many
ideas, midnight rambles
earthly shambles
love stories, morning
glories, all of it
hidden behind the
façade of history
she remains a mystery
even to those of us
who worship at the
gate, we bring our
words and quirks
our sounds of mercy
and laughter
pangs of remorse when
we are foolish, and
often the dead faces
of ghoulish souls
long gone from
in front of the
microphone,
then, all alone
comes the day
when she is
unable to give
that gift, remove
the sorrows for
an hour,
say it isn’t so,
there must be
somewhere to go,
don’t leave us NOW,
we were just
beginning to be
good at this,
grand lady of
the row, we beg
you to stay,
a crowd of lost
mentality,
the reality has
set in: Can’t we just
begin again…
sounds in the
night take flight
dawn appears,
you are loud
and clear!
we are foolish, and
often the dead faces
of ghoulish souls
long gone from
in front of the
microphone,
then, all alone
comes the day
when she is
unable to give
that gift, remove
the sorrows for
an hour,
say it isn’t so,
there must be
somewhere to go,
don’t leave us NOW,
we were just
beginning to be
good at this,
grand lady of
the row, we beg
you to stay,
a crowd of lost
mentality,
the reality has
set in: Can’t we just
begin again…
sounds in the
night take flight
dawn appears,
you are loud
and clear!
©J.W.WINSLOW 6/1/11
He blew into
the studio
breaking all
the rules
smiling /shining
behind his shades
playing us for fools,
but just for fun
(the Show begun
with a hug
the size of Kansas,
demanding nothing
less than Love, always
take your chances)
in his hand was
a toy guitar
which he began
to tune, laughing
humming, picking
notes, coming into
bloom: he used
his tools
so out of school
he knocked about
and tapped,
and rattled chairs
and necklaces
making quite
a splash: the
audience was
now entranced
he played us
into the flow
nothing you
might recognize
what a way
to go, for soon it
was some Dylan
stuff, and then
a cool review
he did a show
of cover songs
in a high redux
of Master Bob’s
material, a very
high esteem
his performance
was applied
to something
like a dream,
the studio
breaking all
the rules
smiling /shining
behind his shades
playing us for fools,
but just for fun
(the Show begun
with a hug
the size of Kansas,
demanding nothing
less than Love, always
take your chances)
in his hand was
a toy guitar
which he began
to tune, laughing
humming, picking
notes, coming into
bloom: he used
his tools
so out of school
he knocked about
and tapped,
and rattled chairs
and necklaces
making quite
a splash: the
audience was
now entranced
he played us
into the flow
nothing you
might recognize
what a way
to go, for soon it
was some Dylan
stuff, and then
a cool review
he did a show
of cover songs
in a high redux
of Master Bob’s
material, a very
high esteem
his performance
was applied
to something
like a dream,
we talked about
the art of him
and the art of me
and how we joined
it all together
in perfect symmetry,
and when we listened
to my audio book
he gave the mic
a second look, and
took some serious note:
the evidence of words
and music blended
into smoke, the charm
and soul and sexy scenes
were evidence of his skill
and beautiful serious
mind, something that he
hides from us, keeping up
that pride that goes
with steely drive
and years of fight
to stay alive, it’s not
an easy game, but he
has conquered life itself
with passion, skill
and fame, so when the
final signal had come
and we were closing in
on done, it seemed
to pass in moments,
we smiled and knew
to play the cue
and gently say
goodbye, laughing
out on the busy
street, under the
Cannery sky!
the art of him
and the art of me
and how we joined
it all together
in perfect symmetry,
and when we listened
to my audio book
he gave the mic
a second look, and
took some serious note:
the evidence of words
and music blended
into smoke, the charm
and soul and sexy scenes
were evidence of his skill
and beautiful serious
mind, something that he
hides from us, keeping up
that pride that goes
with steely drive
and years of fight
to stay alive, it’s not
an easy game, but he
has conquered life itself
with passion, skill
and fame, so when the
final signal had come
and we were closing in
on done, it seemed
to pass in moments,
we smiled and knew
to play the cue
and gently say
goodbye, laughing
out on the busy
street, under the
Cannery sky!
©J.W.WINSLOW 5/1/11