Joe Williams sings
baby you so pretty
you got to die someday.

He knows his Marvell.
Then Carmen sings
Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye

and I die a little.
I’ve been trying to tell
about song, which isn’t

singing. Sarah Vaughn’s
Key Largo shows
it’s the long notes.

I missed Joe’s last gig
at Yoshi’s. He went out
for a walk one morning,

having outlasted Basie
and the New Testament
Band, and fell down dead.

Roadside Joe.