40

I knew you, by your hat first
tilted just so

then your smile

the rough world between

grin and grimace

I recalled short, churning songs

and your ability with

a steel string

the blues

honkytonk

that calloused thumb

on your drinking hand

drumming

the bass against time

your hat

tilted just so, rocking

above workhorse guitars

before all this 

nothing

has changed

we knew what we were doing

so why such sad eyes?

I do not recall your name