Walter Washington

By Lee Meitzen Grue

Now the Wolfman got his teeth

shines them at Tip's.

Walter, you lit us up without

at Dorothy's Medallion on Orleans Avenue

Even James Baldwin went there listening

Some lights you can't hide.

Last night those slides snake-hipped

around your news, drive

lights flashed up, in our eyes, on stage,

some punk in your funk

almost like needle skips

Everybody say, What's the matter with Walter?

Answer, Walter's an artist

always going to be trying something different,

risking it.

Saying, Listening up,

everybody going to try it,

nobody going to do it.

And we shiver down, arms up, wave, clap,

and freeze, scream Walter, Walter, Walter.

But what gets our shaking admiration

don't get us in the gut

What moves is still the blues.