dedicated to K

leave me rocking, little jackey, back back where you belong
no room in this room for tepid conversation, not while i've been
memorizing zola, understanding things gone wrong
grasping for some sort of revelation, though i've been
snoozing since the dawn

you give a shaky start to any morning, snatching words
before they're done, finishing my songs with your clattery
beat, making false soprano in a karaoke style
how can i grasp these hardy words, these rough and spooky
old time words, if you're so determined to stomp
and jazz

close the door and unleash the windows, those biting
flies have gone to bed, then we can feel the summery
flavors, taste the rain coming down our way, but
if your newest resolution is to knock my fame
down south to oakland, where the ships are black
and the streets lay cracked

if you're determined to gather nickels, like a huckster
on his game, then leave my fame here in the sunset,
sheltered by our grinchy fog, go pout your way to
richmond where the dim-sum's fried in oil
cause my head's all full with bits and bytes
ready for the page

neal's been whistling be-bop, thumping me to torment
channeling his coleman, blaring like some radio
infested, gone deranged, how did he leave his new york city
how did he make the midwest plains, plowing through
the corn

jackey boy sit on the floor, let me see what's in your eyes
i do believe in esp, some times fortune is speaking plain
send me confirmation that the years won't bend me down
rob me of the clamor that swirls inside my brain
and let me go