REACHING INTO THE UNKNOWN
by Steve Dalachinsky
i don’t know where i’m going Billie Holiday said
but i do know what i’m doing right now -
reaching into the Unknown
she pulls out strange fruit
a blessing for the children
a shroud of crowded heartaches
Don Cherry sits in front of the piano
trumpet in hand
i don’t know how i’ll be doing in the
future but
right now i’m doing just
fine
reaching into the Unknown
he pulls out Brooklyn he pulls out Mu
he pulls out a cluster of heartbeats & red beans
he travels the world for me with his trumpet-lipped smile
Cherry-co his wiry frame dangling in the Ne(X)t
i don’t know where i was last night Bird chattered
but i know where i’ll be later
reaching into the Unknown
he grabs a fistful of un-played notes
travelling blindly @ the speed of light
Monk mumbling into the keys
pronounces his name slowly
The lo nious
reaching into the Unknown he enters an unknown SPACE
The Lone Li Est
Craving more than old Smoke & Broken Treaties
Jim Pepper grabs at the Vastness of the Unknown
finds only remnants of a PEACE Pipe
Art Pepper ties the tourniquet tight smokes his final cigarette
& pulls a monkey thru the prison bars of the Unknown
THIEVES WHORES ANGELS & THE UNKNOWN
Miles Davis surrounds himself with the Unknown smiles
whispers hoarsely thru his MUTE
“I am the Prince Of Darkness
there is no Unknown unless I say so”
Sun Ra claims to be from the Unknown
reaching into the Unknown finds himself again & again
in the Unknowable Known
Prez recoils into the Air that surrounds him
he is a foul-mouthed man of few words
his voice & skin are light
reaching into the Unknown
he pulls out crumpled hats & ladies
plucking on the strings of violins
IT DON’T MEAN A THING IF IT DOES NOT SWING IN THE UNKNOWN
The Hawk flew when the wind blew
reaching into the Unknown
he felt Dexter’s hand
reaching into the Unknown
he felt Sonny & Trane
he felt Dolphy & Ayler
Hope Nichols & Hassan walked in after Bud
They reach into the Unknown
& found that time is more pliable than one would imagine
played for nickels & dimes & hope & legend & TIME
i know where i am Blakey says
& i’m tougher than the Unknown
as he reaches for another message from the Mothership
& Max still reaching
knows that inside every moment of the Waltz
another Waltz is waiting
Visions of the Unknown & Unknown Visions
DUKE LOUIS BROWNIE LEE
uncountable names
forgive me for not being epic
Reaching into the Unknown
i pull out theses words that pull out these words that pull out these
words
that pull out these WORDS…
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