Birdland, 1954

oh yes you’re feeling fine. it lets you out
a little further on the slack each time
after a scare, the jolt & flutter, big heavy heart
strafed & sheared, pain jacked up down your arm.
how you pay for that heart, then have to carry it.
a damn body drags down the soul, and you don’t care
for the low life, that money you need such a lot
of to fly, turn your most precious valuable
to smoke, great howling bull & ramshit of a fire,
the entrails & terrible parts, yes you are feel
ing fine, burn all the way to heaven’s door 
when you wail like that, horn sound like a ram
for the slaughter, sweet, & flame forevermore
like the god of moses, who says, i am who i am.

Vayikra, Leviticus 1:1–5:26