One Mo’ Time
errol miller
Like it is 1930
cafe au lait Creole
staggering time at the Piedmont
you get behind a big heavy green-door
you bang your pulse upon it
what you get is nothing
peach cobbler and top ten songs
unanimous raves from unseen critics
the success and the money
and the letdown that follows
about midnight an official opening
playing a rich role at the Majestic Hotel
going back for more
the mythical cast replaying supernaturally
an obsession with mild obsession
the proud owners of daily life
whirling off to Le Ruth’s for long-stemmed vegetables
leisurely persistent in small platonic steamy kitchens
your neighborhood may not have a swooning parlor
choosing pink and gray for local color
choosing blue for early twilight
selecting white wine to rarify the moment
comes the wrecking crew to Paradise
the bower of a weeping willow tree
“however,” you may say
over po boy sandwiches and beer
as if it made a difference.
