Jan 8 2024

The King

birthday

of the king

no, not the one from Nazareth

although

that’s quite a thing

El-vez

The Pres

soundtrack of my skinny, bony youth

he might’ve been

before I found

the truth

in Shadows

and the Cliff

Brylcream quiff

teddy boys

Faith in Adam

Fury in fast Billy

wimpy Brits

stove-pipe gits

crazy crooning

skiffle

slap and tickle

soft pre-Beatle days

of ballad and of groove

before we even

clocked the moves

that came to us

from somewhere not so milky white

but

that’s all right

Big Mama Thornton

king will swing it

right

those hips

will swivel

on tv tonight

those lips

will curl

in scorn

and devilment

and sheer delight

to some

he has no rival

religious icon

yes

he was a force

unique and great

so Happy Birthday

King Creole

this January 8