dancing in the void
the ghosts were alive
that night as we sat
in a rainy cafe the
wetness triggering
a hunger a desire
ragged nerves on the
raw edge and a jazzman
blew a sax like it
was his last solo he
wouldn't let go of
the line the notes
twisted them tortured
them turned them
inside out then let
go soaring dancing in
the void pushing the
moment shoving the
instant digging
turning moaning the
pain the rain the pain
the drainpipes dripping
the fog moaning and
only the power of the
blues pulled on the
moon only the sway
of wounds and scars
pulled on the stars
chicago blues
you ain't nothin but the blues chicago
you ain't nothin but the blues
let me hear that train whistle blow chicago
let me hear ole howlin wolf moan
let me hear the blues harp of little walter
o yeah he's got the key to the highway
you ain't nothin but the blues chicago
and the blues is a woman windy city
and the blues is a man the blues is a woman
and the blues is a man the blues is an itch
that needs scratchin you ain't nothin but an
old hotel chicago with a lobby of the aroma
of cigars perfume that low down feelin
called the blues you ain't nothin but a blues
train shakin rhythm movin on down that
mean ole lonesome line you ain't nothin
but the blues chicago a woman dancin alone
in a stoned out joint over by the juke all
the jungle heat all the jungle steam of her
moves you ain't nothin but the blues all you
gotta do is move chicago i want to howl in
your junkyards i want to howl in your trainyards
i want to howl my blues in your graveyards
you ain't nothin but the blues the old-time
blues the you don't have to go blues the
love me all night long blues the grunt and
groan blues the shadowdog blues the leaving
trunk blues the ramshackle house blues the
backalley blues the rainy kitchen blues
baby, i'm itchin blues you ain't nothin but
the low down gutbucket shakin and a breakin
shiverin and a quiverin blue blue blue blue
blue blue blues
ojo caliente
the journey begins
in taos, new mexico
blue mountain
and you travel southwest
you must go
it is your destiny
past an old bus
'special knowledge of
the divine mysteries'
painted on the side
you turn at the marker
that reads 'taos junction'
and you travel southwest
you must go
it is your destiny
you drive through
a canyon of phantoms
past the cactus rose
and ghost blossoms
and phantom birds
floating on air currents
rocks with cryptic messages:
lauri loves leroy
angel tom
you emerge on a
mountain top
and descend into a valley
and you travel southwest
you must go
it is your destiny
you come upon
a place called ojo caliente
magic water
hot baths
and an ancient porch
where you wrap yourself
in a serape
dreaming among the hollyhocks
staring into the sky
and then you dance
under my fingers
i stalked your shadow
through the streets
of santa fe weighing
the risks against the
stakes balancing an
old blues on the
saloon mirror while
the strobe licked
your throat and the
blackness spoke in
wizard tongues as
you moved like a
ghost on the balcony
later you whispered
through tears how
it was all worth it
said it never fails
this flame that
brings the rain
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Tony Moffeit is the conga-pounding, blues-shouting poet-in-residence at the
University of Southern Colorado in Pueblo, Colorado. His latest book is
just out: BILLY THE KID & FRIDA KAHLO from Ye Olde Font Shoppe,
www.webcom.com/yeolde. He has blues songs and poems available online or
through a CD called OUTLAW BLUES from www.mp3.com/outlawblues. His awards
include the 1986 Jack Kerouac Award for his volume of poetry PUEBLO BLUES
from Cherry Valley Editions, an NEA in poetry in 1992, and the 1997 Thomas
Hornsby Ferril Poetry Prize. He is the author of a book of poetry and
essays titled POETRY IS DANGEROUS, THE POET IS AN OUTLAW published in 1995
by Floating Island Publications.
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