from rigidity and structure 
and rules of conformity 
jazzman 
to his double bass escapes 
it's taller than him 
and wider as well 
with hips that could bear 
a jazzman like him 
... 
 he touches her strings 
gently at first 
waiting for her  
to purr  
and then 
slowly 
he talks with his fingers 
giving life to her voice 
... 
with his eyes looking up  
they start off their dance 
tap-tap  tap-tap   tap-tap-ta-tuh-tap 
they dance in a world 
 that only they know 
all doors they have closed  
but 
  windows left wide 
 so their audience can slide 
into a world inside 
... 
they watch his soul dance 
and hear the low voice 
that tells them 
where 
their souls can merge 
merge in a state where all become one 
... 
they watch  
watch  the speeding dance  
that sways to the right 
sways to the left 
  the faster the sway 
the faster the dance 
... 
jazzman's  fingers they race 
at an auctioneer's pace 
along each string 
 on her black ebony  neck 
... 
suddenly 
... 
he stops 
... 
then  
drums on her chest 
as fast as he can 
his hands are a blur 
he puts head to her breast 
 to hear the low beat 
that he drums from his soul 
the audience wants in 
into his world 
just for a moment 
a moment will do 
then 
jazzman gives them 
their moment 
or two 
... 

Keith O'Connor 
July 20 2001 
Ottawa Canada 
www.tinmangallery.com