I danced with nicolás guillén under a cuban sun
prepared halal leg of lamb for c.l.r. james on a brixton afternoon
shared chile relleno with the romare bearden on tenth avenue then
was caught in the blackout at sardi’s dining on porterhouse steak &
creamed spinach while brooklyn burned and richard long pontificated.
Took photos of manuel puig and mommy in a tango
strolled the detroit museum of art with richmond barthé
dined on red sauce baked chicken from léon damas near dupont circle
sipped espresso with guillermo cabrera infante and miriam in the west london flat
flew the same airplane as octavio paz & was high
margarita altitudes before I lit la zona rosa or plaza santa cecilia
I waltzed like a jitterbug to max roach’s snare drum
admist all the bearden collages
and sat my daughter on sun ra’s lap so she could get a blessing from the black
cosmic conductor.
I remember how cecil taylor’s shoulder
tasted of champagne and cocaine
how john biggers liked football I couldn’t begin to understand.
these blessings came like breathing, see,
easily and without plan,
but the world was lyrical then, the genius so colored you could smell it
like the star gazer lilies lester bowie brought me
at the knitting factory before he & malachi favors played.
I live in music with me,
these blessings.