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i’m a harmony at best
a leaky faucet
dripping a bastard’s backbeat
some flesh for my bones to carry like a tune
my bones that click & clink like cheap wooden wind-chimes
my teeth that scrape like rusted spoons
& the heart in my brain breaks
the heart in my chest skips
& i’m left singing these
hard-hearted blues

james brown said
never miss the one
you can do whatever you want
but you come with it on the one
& i wonder how much he would’ve fined me
if i had the good fortune of being in his band
they would’ve nicknamed me “hamburger”
from all the ass-chewings i’d’ve gotten

i’m not saying i can’t keep time
i’m saying life’s too short to be in a cover band

for this solo i’m the whispering breeze
kissing the sweaty crooks behind your knees
september’s last breath inhaled & held
like the best smoke you’ve ever had

does the whip-poor-will savor these songs?
would the woodpecker understand the rhythm?
only the hummingbird can rewind the tape
only the owl understands the weight of night

we’re an old house still settling
squeaking to ourselves like stairs
reverberating like musicians
getting to know each other
the shifting of the melody
between instruments
how many instruments we all carry
& forget we know how to play
& forget we love
& though our foundation will crack
may the crumble be the rumble of the kick drum
may the echo of our song move others to sing