Sunrise Blues by Bradley Mason Hamlin

Derby
was a musician
from
West Mississippi
dark
of skin
and light of heart
played
the
blues harp
and sang
with a deep baritone
that sounded
like a fallen angel
bound to earth
with iron
chain-gang shackles
his
favorite
drink
was
whiskey & lemonade
and on good
nights
he made enough coin
inside his
lucky hat
to bed down
a whore
until the sun rose
and he’d be off
again
one foot in front
of the other
to the next town
to entertain
someone else.