Midnight Psalm

Photo by Ilse Orsel on Unsplash

“… those who see well find
something captured that
escapes explanation.”
— Bill Evans

in the immortal jazz prosody

life ain’t nothin’
but the fast walk of acrobatic fingers
and one nimble thumb
runnin’
up and down four vertical tightropes
of an upright bass.

nothin’
but a stomp and grind
across the keys of a piano grand
tryin’
to keep up with the man in back
holdin’
dynamite in his hands
cymbal — snare — hi-hat — boom

as the mighty organ ejaculates its lungs:
“make way
make room for the starlit harlot
cast
in shadows of night
finger paintin’ in the corner
with curiosity
in the way
pussycats creep
creepin’
from hotel to motel — room to room.
‘cause it is her body they lust
in the hour of doom.”