Equinox at Frank Seago’s
Equinox at Frank Seago’s
Christmas Eve 2016
shivering in a freezing kitchen
bobble hat to beat the cold
surfing late-night radio stations,
swerving drunkards singing carols
and jingles praising senna pods –
out of the blue I caught a snatch
of Coltrane’s sublime Equinox.
my mind zipped back to ‘66,
an Essex council-house front-room;
cat-scratched armchairs, vinyl couches,
sundry drop-outs smoking ganja.
the rule? three quick drags – pass it left.
I inhaled. my head imploded.
Frank picked L.Ps. from a stack,
A Love Supreme and Equinox,
‘this Coltrane cat will blow your mind.’
Trane swept me into dream space, jazz space,
my head free-floated ‘someplace’, until,
reeking of sandalwood and weed
this chick sat pressed right up against me,
she was middle-class, but slumming,
wore freshly ironed beatnik gear and
spoke in posh-voice ‘Village’ slang,
‘wow! far out, man! dig it! good shit!’
she kissed my cheek, squeezed my knee,
‘psst. fancy sixty-nining with me?’
my mind was on My Favourite Things,
I said ‘okay’ halfheartedly
her mother warned her every day,
‘keep a tight hold on your ha’penny,’
but
she wanted her ‘first time’ with a hippy,
I was at hand – she settled for me.
while all she knew of sex was drawn
from youth club chat and Valentine.
she made a sucker out of me,
inevitably.
© coolhermit 2023
Views: 447
CH, you have led a dissolute life; or should I just say you have lived! the end.
It’s great when a single illuminating hook can resurrect any moment from the past.
B
Actually I married that ‘chick’ and had 6 kids by her 🙂
Inevitably!
yup – she left me to raise our family as a lone father. but hey ho 🙂