Stride Piano

(Based on the painting by Alison Saar)

No longer tangible, you are.

¼ dreams

¼ hatred

and 2 parts smoke and Jack

shaken with mixed emotions.

This misery concoction holds me

keeps me constantly grasping

            But not wanting to clear the air

Or you’re gone

            But you’ve been gone

                        TOO

                                    FAR

                                                GONE

Your hazy essence is poured over my skin

            Spirals and smashes into every wall

Making it, finally, into my nostrils

            Bombarding my brain cells

                        Blowing up my senses

                                    Bombing

                                    Blasting my skull to shreds.

While all this is occurring, all I can manage to hear,

besides my twisted heart,

is my crooning voice

            Bubbly with soul

Scratchy throat from drinking you away

Fingers slamming gently on the keys

            Singing you a song

Baby, I’m singing this for you …

            Maybe I shouldn’t be singing to you …

I keep my head down to avoid

your sensual lust.

It never works.

The thought of you

turns my skin blue

& my pin-striped suit is

slowly

losing

each

line.

My lifeline.

Tariffs.  Tariffs.  Tariffs.

Incessantly taxing souls like mine.

Only Prohibition can save me now.