Dizzy Gillespie (1917 – 1993)
traveling light
on cash
sober
and listening
to
Dizzy Gillespie
the day he died
ignoring
bills
by mourning
for a man
I never knew
but for
the telepathy
of his
trumpet
and visions
of
bubble gum cheeks
caught on film
listening,
trying to time
travel …
without thinking
or drinking
or eating
and
with all that
jazz in my head
wondering
when the blonde
of my dreams
would walk
down my street
and into my soul
and Dizzy
is
still
dead
and bebop
no bop
beer
no beer
Dizzy was clean,
sober,
I mean
but
it’s new year’s eve
a
brand new start
tomorrow
and so
it is time
for
me
to go
toast the heart
of everything
beautiful.