I Remember James

There are no photos from the early 1990's when a huge turning point took place in my life. I bought a microphone and a PA amp, hooked up an acoustic guitar and declared myself a blues singer. Not because I had any musical talent what-so-ever, but because I was wounded to my core and I needed healing. Having the blues does not make you a great performer, but it can make a so-so performer perform better. And so I took my turn in a down-on-its-luck part of town and played my heart out to a few world weary travelers. This is one of the stories from those days, my lost years. Not because I lost that time in a haze of self induced dementia, but because I was Lost...until I found the Amazing Grace of my current life: my wife, my current job and...and now I see.



I remember James (sweet James)

I remember James
And Alex
Listening
To my blues renditions
Of Sweet Jane
And When the Levee Breaks
At a little joint called Tippy’s
Tippy's cafe

West of the wild side
A guitar
And raw emotion
Inspired by
My personal tragedies
Expressed for the
Intrepid company
Who found a place
Named for
The owner's dog

Maddie May
under age
Tending bar
In a New York
Now long gone
Taking care of
Us All
With Rolling Rock
And a smile
She lit the decadent dark
As a parade of sexy
Rebels
Took place nightly
Right outside

I remember James
As a man of quality
Who cared deeply for
The craftsmen
And integrity

I remember James and
His intensity
How he could not
Tolerate
Mediocrity

I remember James
And his neon blue eyes
That saw only
What could be
When people focused
On perfection
And how that
Would set us free

I do remember James
And that fateful
Night
When he asked me to
stay, linger, and talk
Just for while

But I declined
Siting some
Early work day
With such short sight
For how was I to know
I would be the last to see him
Before he took his life

Dear James,

I will never forget you
I will keep your spirit alive
Singing your song
To everyone
Deep into
The perfect night