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Poems by Carter Monroe
jesse jazz
(a random nocturnal scat)
missouri's sky breaks in an aspic melange
the rue of the viper seeking out gene krupa
rimshots bouncing off geeked steel walls
and a safe hidden behind a picture of abe lincoln
as they come to town armed with bebop apathies
coifed futility found in a mulligan sax artillery
the coup of the day is jeopardized by a chanced
tropic binding the malfeasance of sheet music
protecting the insecurity of blinding rhythm sections
and making stoic what should really be excitement
fresh from the skeet range, jesse comes holstered
pearl handles, a crowbar, the family bible, and pork skins
seems like the larder from a night out on the town
no cocaine in sight this side of mexico they share
the last joint enroute to the promised land of st. louie finance
the urchins wander about believing a gypsy circus to be in
tow
the boys drive chevys, their radios screaming coleman yawps
surrounding the noble institution in a paranoid planned silence
a willie nelson maverick spins to the floor, the blood spattering
walls facing abe, two innocent housewives, and several white
junkies
in the end the crack reveals four grand and some good brown
powder
they never knew what hit'em, but felt mingus was to blame
Carter Monroe © 2002
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