"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." Theodore Roosevelt

Monday, October 17, 2011

Benjamin Blue Jazz

My fingers ache, pulsate, and I clench with tangible apprehension.

Again, I push the rusty harmonica to my lips and the pack is hushed.

My pinky fingers are twitching as I play my starting notes.

The melody is hollow but I mean for it to be,

They’re all glaring with their innocent eyes, now I sigh and sing:

He’s a-comin’ sinners,

The trumps’ will sound,

A-riding the silver cloud,

Ain’t no one can hide.

The final notes shake, employed hurriedly for my purpose.

My dry fingers nervously sliding and pinching together,

I know these college kids have money, I know they do, I know they do.

Ammm Lord I’m-a sing,

Blue dawns a-breakin’

Ammm Lord I’m-a weep

Broken soul you’s takin’

They judge me because I’m homeless,

Because I lay crack, my skin, the white-powder, my sin.

My cracked nails and red eyes are thirsty for more,

They don’t know me, no, no, no I’ll prove they are wrong:

My sistah’s brother a-broken,

Cocaine hunger claimin’ this; his soul.

To the devil or against it He, I stand

Lord help me mend our broken soul.

Last note completed, I look up and see these college kids ensnared,

Now they’re thinking I need their pity, their money.

I don’t need it, I don’t need you, I don’t use drugs.

I am a drug.

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