King Curtis

Here’s King Curtis playing
“Da Duh Dah.”

What’s this — snake-
driving rhythm, 
sizzling drums,
complex lines?  Where’s
“Yakitty Yak,” how come there’re no
‘Retha rips?
Can’t be the same guy…
but it is.

How many players
did the same, filling in
on Pop
to fund Jazz,
back when the former
began to eat the latter?
How many still do?

Maybe they saw it all as music
to be made. Maybe I’m enforcing
falsehood by even commenting,
noticing.  Dichotomy
is the devil’s crowbar, 
after all…

and we all got to eat
if we’re gonna approach
the stars — need 
a belly full and a head
screwed on straight
and steely to get there.