Down South
There flows a river blue
One taste one touch
Sweet bitter nectar
Overpowers you
Cupped hands
Ain’t full enough
Tunnel vision
For one fulfillment
Like Moses
You part the sea
Plunge face first
In to the deep
Blues
Roots intertwined
With soul and tongue
Hear Bessie and Billy and Phillis
Croonin’ an’ bluesin’ your loosin’
Control and soul
In depths of southern whole
Raw as a freshly lynched neck
The summer heat an’ still winds
Carry the stench of burning flesh
River blue ‘gon’ baptize you
Urgent
Yet ........ gentle
Probing
Why I be so black?
So blue?
Get me lost in you
The rhythm
Answers softly
Sometimes hard
Quick, off beat
Tempo change and get off key
Then suddenly
Somebody niggah pissin’ up stream
Epiphany!
        You got the blues.