The blues man,
he play bad.

So bad he make his momma cry
when the offer
come in from Memphis
to play the Blue Moon Saloon
on Thursdays,
Fridays,
Saturdays.

But he go anyway.

That way a blues man be,
he say.
That way we be.

A blues man—
he gotta break his momma’s heart…

For practice.

(Paris — 1995)