for stalebread scottie: laissez le bon temps rouler

early morning in port townsend, washington
         smells fresh, clean, salty, marine
         light breeze kisses cheeks unseen
                  gently blows hair across eyes
                  flutters clothes against bodies

busking 1930s jug-band and blues tunes
          skip james, cannon’s jug stompers
touring the country with his band
          stalebread scottie and the kitchen men

says he counts among his friends:
         alynda segarra (hurray for the riff raff)
         erika lewis (lonesome doves)
         shaye cohn (tuba skinny) . . .
and now you, ’cause you’re strange
                  (oh really)

then he says:
“ya know ya hold that mandolin like r. crumb
         and play it elizabeth cotten style
when it comes to layin’ it straight
         my advice is
         get outta the way and
                           let the music play you

                           play it like you mean it”

life tastes enticingly bright like citrus
          in that moment
with stalebread scottie in port townsend, washington