Fishbone

[ CHUCK TAYLOR ALL STARS ]

I found your first

record yesterday—

it looked like the past

& sounded

like the future—

that combo platter I love best

of all. The black grooves gave

way to moans

of horns, yelps,

bass that leapt

like you did

on the cover—bald,

mohawked, knotted

& dreaded, bespoke

& be-hatted, daytime shades

& handkerchiefs

like a bank robber—

plaits & plaids on tweed

like gangster professors.

One of you grins,

most the rest

in mid-air soar.