mojo piece
A poem for Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley is one of the reasons why I bothered to learn how to write a song.
I think that this poem was with me in an earlier timeline of musical discovery, just waiting on the tip of my tongue, but was brought on by the new documentary film.
If you can, please watch It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley.
Ideally, listen to his album, then the doc, and to “Ain’t Got No…” by Nina Simone if you’ve never. This piece is indebted to all of it.
To write this poem, I did my own research beyond watching the film and casually listening to his music over the years. I read many letters written by Jeff Buckley to fans, listened to the cadence of his voice in interviews, and did some searching inside of old archived fan clubs to see the kinds of things people were saying, taking on some stuff I thought he’d mention or debunk. Some lines are directly from his writings.
All that being said, here’s my homage to Nina, Kurt, Jeff, Amy, my dead heroes and my dead friends who are also in the fabric of this. …
mojo piece Daddy likes Andy’s pop and kicks left behind a name with a weird fit ain’t mama’s rhythm nor rhyme at least left her more a sister-friend more daughter more afraid it’s us, just vibrating along, yea, just under these song covers, just pulling your leg, playin smells like teen spirit riff like song’s so goddamn far behind/ahead-a me though this bar is a glass half-empty becoming full insecure sucking eggs nervous but… fuck that sold out he-said she-said fan club Cobain shit.. right? I’m just Whiteboy just fanning flame from a white bic.. alright? think I am not crazy about this young dumb and profound I’m.. wink. insane uh these fucking cameras in our faces and comparison to the greats it’s not right so well.. when that glass finally spilt with the record deal frills seeing Kurt differently at the meniscus here now.. though in that feel like I ain’t done nothing yet ain’t said what I needed to say though I like the way Nina Simone sings ain’t got no.. but I got life left her river eyes behind lilac gold rain hooks into millions, climb, hooks into me, sound is sex, fall deeply into a crowded yearning heart thousands of miles away distanced expectations and roles kill me wanting to crossdress it’s just right wearing these florals only inside to feel maybe what they see holy effenminate magic sopranito, meek honor of service this is something ancient, not fastfood goat shit late at night, 3am crap on tour and if this shit don’t work out well “I have that precious and irreplacable luxury of failure, of risk, of surrender” forever sermon to my wo/man of music to whom I created who created me who I beg please mother mercy take me away this is my only divine rite and way please hear me wo/man of the chungatungcha boom badapbadap boom badapbadap begging for you back.. my father rolling in his.. until the spoils of fame are so muddy dripping down the back until wet faces call hospitals frantic sure it’s all far too fast I arrive plain and simple at the worst time but bringing & being all my love I’m so sorry I am I’ll call you back.. until the spoils of fame are so muddy dripping down the back until wet faces call hospitals frantic it’s sure all far too fast though I like the way Nina Simone sings ain’t got no.. but I got river eternal plane and my next one: “every song will have a quiet part and then a loud part at the shout chorus and the lyrics will totally open up new pathways in the human mind, allowing both sexes to fling themselves into the path of modern boredom and sloth like an oncoming path train it`s not just a woman`s job anymore. both must explode as one.there will be no pain or shock at the time of impact. there will only be coca-cola and disney. and hooks, lot`s and lot`s of hooks..” “YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND YOUR MOM KURT COBAIN REST FOREVER IN PEACE My love is with you, Your friend, Jeff Buckley” December 18, 1:54 AM
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j. nyla ink mcneill (they) is not one for small talk, and wants to know, what’s with your soul? As a neurodivergent and visionary polymath—a poet and author first and foremost—they are also trained as researcher in the field of psychology, a musician, and a sole-proprietor life coach and consultant. Vocationally, they work as a systems change consultant to multiple municipalities, moving about transformation one word or one action at a time. Find their music demos available on Bandcamp and Patreon.
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