PREZ HAD ALL THE RIGHT MOVES
like any ordinary night in the middle of the
big depression cruising down 7th Avenue
a few steps ahead of the man the year was
1936 Lester Young was new on the scene
it was Christmas Eve Roseland was jumping
and pouring out the door and onto the street
like a saucer to a kitten a sound that comes
out of nowhere, soothes a man who’s on the
nut, flat broke, a sound that comes on smooth
as paradise, easy as scotch and milk — and I
wanted to go in but standing in the doorway
like cut diamonds in the light of the neon sun
Miss Harrigan in a silk dress so fine so perfect
I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck
she stood there sphinx-like and unaware I
almost fell on my knees, crazy! i just couldn’t
go in to hear Lester wail
after all that woman had put me through