Charlie Hunter
The quintet was a trio
guitars were broadcast over short-wave radio- while little plastic men
smiled
as if they were responsible
I was perched on an amplifier
my ears ringing from the girl in front of me
her neck was gorgeous
and she used her hips to
deceive
Then Pope, when he showed up, it was all over
Jazz is the devils music
and we were all sinners his Holiness spouted
Then Charlie dropped in
a bassline, raggedly precise high, low
low high
that bassline came from heaven
that bassline came from hell
and the Pope became a sinner