dmseay

America has missed the point on Trump…this Theater of the Absurd…

it is Bertolt Brecht…tis The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui..perhaps beyond grasp of average citizenry…

a piece played in a Manhattan church basement…now brought onto the Broadway stage with glitz…glamour… touch of controversy… non-stop ad-campaign on cable…never enough…

prior to this show…one would have to go back to a Republican Convention where an avant garde act by Clint Eastwood was performed…Soliloquy to an empty Chair…

and yes…Mr. Eastwood’s performance flew over the heads of a baffled audience…perhaps nation…much like The Hindenberg…fire falling from the sky…the humanity…oh the humanity…

let’s face it…anything beyond Hello Dolly is risky to a conservative crowd…

mmm…a musical featuring a strong-willed sharp-minded New York Jewish broad… chorus boys dancing and singing…dancing and singing…

probably chancy too…

his hugs were like vice-grips…

wanted something…heard…listened to…take your time…take your time…

voice muffled ‘tween tears…quiet yells…opened mouth…spit stretched…nothing said…nothing…shhh…it’s O.K. …it’s O.K. …

loving…giving…kind…a temper…could you blame him…could you…

slow paces with walker…helmet worn…strap fastened… face of bruises…teeth ajar…no more beautiful sight…

had a minister tell me once, “Christ commands us to love the unlovely…like your kid brother…”

no sir…no… Jesus was referring to you…

what’s the deal with that…

no deal…

nothing…

nope…

huh…coulda’ swore…

said nothing…right…

sure…

now…

look…

not listening…

yes…but…

what’d I say…

no deal…

bingo…

means…

ah…stop…catch ‘self…very bad mistake’s ’bout ta’ be made…yes…

tryin’ ta’ get ta’ the bottom of…

what…is this needed…effects you how…uh…what’s at stake…

nothing…

yes…nothing…

morning…

morning…

learning the ways of society…again…

which spoon…this fork…pass left or right…

bank on-line…

a changing of clothes…

wiping my ass…

which god to pray to…

what church is best…

buy a yoga mat…

how do i register to vote…does it matter…

to sleep at night in a bed…

eat with mouth closed…

laugh at appropriate times..

don’t get out of line…

being at ease with tension tightening…

seated when asked…

please… thank you…

never…never ask for seconds…

make love…don’t fuck…

get-on Facebook…500 friends i don’t know…

go to Cuba for vacations…

eat organic only…

no pissing in alleys…

sell insurance…

go kayaking…

take-up tennis…

drink PBR…

and here i sit…here i sit…

too much…

to be held…to be held…by you…

poetry written in the dark…

kid brother’s hysterical laugh…

coffee in morn on an autumn day…

Coltrane’s Central Park West…

watermelon…

to walk on a cool eve…thoughts…

books…books…books…good books.

a slap on the ass…

the occasional pint…

breath…

to chase love…

anything by Bill Evans…

acceptance of self…

reading aloud…soul exposed

bitters in a dark bar with you…

new discoveries…

myths unfolded…

the turning of sheets…

pumpkins…

a poem by Rilke…

the changing of  stories over time…

September Of My Years…

Paris.

to be fearless…

to be loved…loved…

Kind of Blue…

making lasagna…

glass of red…you pick…

journeys…

not to want…

clarity in nothing…

the sound of trains past midnight…

leaves…

your kiss.

this train yells at darkness…so do crazies…madmen…fabulous drunks…lovers on recon duties…all wanting to journey deeper into night…farther…

Moscow…Memphis…Cairo…Paris…Athens… cities roamed in blackness…by beggars… bussers …whores… homeboys…junkies… jestors… non-refundable tickets… purchased at reduced rates…one please…

edge is a dangerous place…too easy…much too easy…and that train whistles…calling…asking…,Where to…Where…

same answer…always…

away…just away…before the moon disappears…pain put to slumber…

train…take me from here…

didja know her…

no…

sure…

not that girl…not her…

sure of…

…yes…yes…I’m sure…

think ’bout it…never met her…

never did…no…

’bout this one…

maybe…might’ve…

yea…

can’t remember…

and this one…

yes…

yes…

knew her…knew her well…

really…

used ta’ meet a few times…we’re both free…

yea…

her place…my pad…city parks… garages downtown…

really…

sure…she was cool…

seen her recently…

can’t say…

how so…

well…don’t think…could be wrong…week or two…

don’t know the blonde…brunette…but…red…right…

guess…

same broad…

really…

same one in every picture…nothin’ different…just wigs…s’ all…

don’t say…

yep…

uh…well I’ll be…swear…never knew…

no clue…

she never showed those sides…colors…

always the same…

yea…same…always same…

sorry…

me too…

think ya’ know somebody…uh…

yes…you think…

not lookin’…

for what…

anything…stayin’ away…

oh yea…

yep…tryin’….

guy can try real hard…’ventually…he’ll come ’round…

that’s what you bank-on isn’t it…numbers tell you this…right…

after years…

yes…you’d know…don’t have ta’ lift a finger…not even speak…

no…no I don’t…

mmm…why…what’s the draw…

you tell me…

don’t know…never did…just somethin’… always there…like coffee in the mornin’…habit i guess…

so…

gotta’ go…gotta’ go…

you’ll be back…you’ll see…

O.K. …

that numbness…feelins’ of…

inadequacies…you’re all ’bout inadequacies…mine…his… next guy…

sure…

always knew…always…gotta’ go…

see ya’ ’round…

i have a test…

a test…

yes…an easy test i make ’em take…

what’dya mean…

more like a quiz…a short quiz…helps me…

what…

tells me right off the bat…

you make ’em take a quiz…

yes…

and it is…

name three stand-up bass players…

what…

come-on…name…

what the fuck…

Paul Chambers…Scott LaFaro…Charles Mingus…simple…

who the fuck would know…

name three jazz drummers…

this is crazy…

go-on…

you’re a sick fuck…

Max Roach…Philly Joe Jones …Jimmy Cobb…

are you serious..

this is important…

important…

yes…important…name three jazz pianists…

you’ve lost your fuckin’ mind…you have lost your fucking mind…

Bill Evans…Les McCann…McCoy Tyner…easy…very easy…

let me ask you…curious…when do you spring this on ’em..

well…after we’ve slept together…

after…

yes…after…what’d you think i’m stupid…

how fuckin’ twisted are you…before…I could somewhat respect…but..after ya’ bang ’em…

what…what…is this wrong…

don’t you have someplace to be…

yes…

good…

pop-quiz tonight…

where’s the chips and salsa…

they don’t do that here pop…cucumbers and radishes…

cucumbers and radishes…

uh huh…

I want chips and salsa…

you want chips and salsa…

well…yea…

then go ta’ fucking Chipotle pop…pass the limes…