The hesitant poet

SITTING IN THE COOL

listening to John Lee Hooker

hammering away on his unturned guitar

getting into a blues mood

sitting out on the sidewalk

in my Powell street hood

watching the passing parade

tourists, poor souls, beggars

and the air is full of sad stories

and half drunk hipsters

and a mob of white clad religious nuts

with too bright eyes

and drink the koolade smiles

neighbor families from  my digs

and their little girl

who has a smile that could

melt an evil heart

ice cream has tempted me

but to that sin

I did not succumb

the coffee kid

bought me a medium medium

and a group of Japanese tourists

or ESL students

walked to far on the Gastown Tour

turned around in mid block

and returned wense they came

bought some of the advertised hi-tech razors

with impossible guarantees

but the girls still

don’t give me a second look

but this works

Leonard singing about

aching in the places where he used to play

sitting here sipping coffee like a fool

sitting in the cool.

JWL