Telecaster

Start with a television
turned on to the left
with no one watching.

Add to it one Telecaster,
tuned mostly up and untouched,
on a stand to the right.

In between, place a man
whose friends stay away
for fear of catching

his illness, his strokes,
his mental anguish — what
have you?

What have you, indeed?
The bare bones of a problem
simply defined: simply put,

keep a short leash on memory.
Long time past is not worth visiting;
close your eyes against it.

Keep to a short time before nightfall instead,
keep no time to think of a different answer.
Keep the rest of time in the world

to pick the guitar up, tune it up,
stumble through playing a wee bit.
Nothing else will do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
onward,
T