Poetry of Issue #7        Page 29

2. autumn 1991 the steps that lead to heaven

a. 

it was inevitable that eventually the voodoo would run you down
catch you and carry you away  so you left with him on the sorcerer's train 
& freddie limping down a side street weeping thru his specks & rabbit grin
these 7 steps on a quiet night lead you silently up the road ahead in the sky   
harsh black beauty floating up down there  kind of  round about somewhere in a green  
haze remembering when the living was easy & not so easy 
& you all the time mumbling  SO WHAT? when life wasn't worth a plugged nickel 
weirdo  always on the fringe  cookin up a bitch's brew in beelzebub's cauldron
steamin   relaxin   workin  diggin  walkin  tuning up the paraphernalia
bluing  in an old flame on a paper moon & launching the birth of the cool
there'll be plenty more blowing tomorrow  more conceptions compulsions enigmas
                                   
       it never entered my mind that you'd just take off   gone great hero of my youth
     godchild  dreaming the serpent's tooth  i never thought yesterday would come so soon 
would really ever come  hard on the fast track   in your own sweet way  
                painter of deceptions          awake at all times
don't blame me if i can't accept you're gone   you were it thru madness & gladness
      smiling footprints   sanctuary & limbo   on the other car to oblivion
         the other direction in my ascent   &   dance      from the street   

i thought about you all the time & if i were a bell i'd RING your praises every hour
                     as you  arrive out of nowhere like autumn leaves   
  mooch   milestone   rich country son   black comedy full of stuff   
the ultimate prince of darkness orbiting my life  always agitated   loaded with ESP       
won't you please come home WATER BOY so near  so far  the miles & miles of  MILES    
     nurturing me with your sound once upon a summertime  when spring was here  
          my lament rises  as my ears long to hear your lush & muted voice
this is the meaning of  NO BLUES  & ALL BLUES as the broken hearted maidens 
languish in your embrace & the boxers wait for you to GO & there is here where you are 
not gone here the seeds that you left are here where you are where there is 
                                                NO longer YOU

  steve dalachinsky