Little Girl Blue



When she was a young girl
I did not know her, as I donnot know her now,
now that she is dead.
I do know though, that she still is
a medication for our condition
[a lot better than whatever you took.

But you knew what it was like, in Harlem, North Carolina 
or in a Hotel room or anywhere],
with that voice like a bass,
low-tenor, like a gunshot in the dark,
sound and deep, grave as only the grass is
at night when no moon is out
with just the lamp-lights about.