LOUISIANA RED AND MICHAEL MESSER AT THE WEC 22 APRIL 2009

Just mention the names

of the people Red's played with

Muddy Waters, Lighting Hopkins,

Arthur Crudup or his stories

about Robert Johnson or Skip James

he's a walking encyclopaedia of the blues.

Behind Red, hanging like Armani suits,

were five acoustic guitars. The first

one's mother died when it was seven

days old; others were married, black,

sunburst, steel and there was a drawer

for blue glass, copper and silver slides.

Just mention the names

of the people Red's played with

BB King, Robert Nighthawk,

Son House or his stories

about Sleepy John Estes or Bukka White

he's a walking encyclopaedia of the blues.

Red was stroking each note, each string

like he was caressing a thigh or breast

and I could barely breathe

as he got the groove of Midnight Rambler

it was like he was diving in whisky

and didn't want to look at the sun.

Just mention the names

of the people Red's played with

Elmore James, John Lee Hooker,

Henry Thomas or his stories

about Robert Johnson or Skip James

he's a walking encyclopaedia of the blues.

At the end after the applause has died,

guitars have been left to dry on their hangers,

posters and CDs sold and signed

the walking encyclopaedia of the blues

shuffles backstage and wants another gig

to tell more stories and stroke his guitars.