Steve Dalachinsky (1946-2019)

The great NYC-based poet Steve Dalachinsky passed away earlier this month. His avant garde poetry involved many collaborations with jazz artists during his long career. Several years ago he contributed a poem to "Charles Mingus at 90"; here it is --

"tonight at noon (mingus in tompkins square park / a free fugs concert -- 1960's)"

you said you weren't you
    that day
you stood behind me
   in the crowded
park
  a big man with a camera
          around your neck
                hands nearly smothering it

i turned
   looked into your eyes
        & asked
  "aren't you charles mingus"
               you turned your head slightly to the left
                       looked off into the distance
                            said very softly in that slightly husky voice
                                      "i'm not charles mingus today. i'm
a photographer."         
                                      
                     i turned back toward the stage.
                     waited for the music to begin.