get the June 2014 108 page cc&d magazine
1994-1997 anniversary
issue supplement collection 6" x 9" ISBN#
paperback book:
my roots, black&blue
for Gator
C Ra McGuirt
40-something southern years of moonless nights ago,
in a section of miami known and feared by all as bad,
feeding on fallen angel notes,&devil gospel chords
escaping to heaven, ascending to hell
by way of a miniscule window
back of house of blues repute,
crouched in the dark, a small white boy
felt a large&sudden hand
form itself out of the shadows
& fall on his shoulder like a sack of cement,
then a doomful whiskey voice,
rough as a dumptruck on African gavel,
growlingly inquired of him:
“white boy, what the hell you doin’ here?
they boy would have flown up to premature glory
with wings or without, but the monstrous hand,
attached to a man of gravitic immensity,
who also possessed a cruel cannibal scowl
upon his seamed and knife-scarred face,
held him to earth. “i done ast you, boy -
what the holy king hell you be doin’?”
gulping back his salt hot fear, the boy replied,
“i was just listenin’...”
“you was just listenin’, huh?” the thunderscowl grew,
& the callous-tipped fingers bit tighter.
“stand your little white ass up...” the boy obeyed,
& shook on short white denim legs,
sneakered feet itching to run,&keep running.
“just listenin’... is that what you’re telling me, boy?”
through lips near as white as his dirty face,
the boy said: “y-yessir, that’s right...”
“& why you be listenin’, son... tell the truth...”
“sir, i’m real sorry... i just like the blues...”
“just like the blues! just be listenin’!
white boy, you must think i’se some kinda fool
you expect me to believe that shit!
you can’t hear no goddam blues
standin’ way the hell out here!
you best come with me...
& the man took the boy inside to the blues,
where my daddy soon became
favored reefer-roller
to the band.
