Blues In The Night Poem by gershon hepner

When your women start leaving, you’ll sing in the night
the blues––don’t ever forget it.
Those are the words of the song I now write,
but with music I cannot now set it.
I haven’t the tune in my head, and each word
that I write is as sharp as the flats
that I sink to when thinking how life is absurd
without you. Of all of the cats
who I’ve ever known your miaow is the loudest,
your scratches by far are the sharpest.
When you loved me you made me of all men the proudest,
but now I’m like Harpo the harpist;
I can’t sing a word, and in fact I can’t speak––
I’m feeling so blue in the night.
You’re hiding from me now, and know I won’t seek
any trouble. I will not catfight,
but write what a mockingbird would understand
in a garden where it’s left to hover,
because for its love there is no more demand,
a sad wings clipped, cat-wounded lover.


Inspired by Johnny Mercer’s lyrics for Johnny Mercer’s “Blue In The Night, ” which I looked up after a segment on Johnny Mercer on CBS Sunday Morning:

My mama done told me,
When I was in knee-pants,
My mama done told me, 'Son,
What did she tell you?
A woman will sweet-talk,
Yeah!
And give you the glad eye,
Uh-huh!
But when the sweet talk is done,
Keep on a-talkin'!
A woman's a two-face,
A worrisome thing who'll leave you to sing
The blues (the blues) in the night.
Yes, in the night.
Now the rain a-fallin',
Hear the train a-callin'
Ooowee...
My mama done told me.
Hear that lonesome whistle
Blowing 'cross the trestle,
Ooowee...
Oh, my mama done told me.
Eh-a-hoowie-a-hoowie!
A-clickity-clacking and echoing back
The blues in the night!
The evening breeze will start the trees to cryin'
And the moon will hide its light,
When you get the blues in the night;
It's really tough to get the blues in the night.
Take my word,
The mockingbird'll sing the saddest kind of song,
He knows things are wrong,
And he's right,
Yes, he's right, he's really, really, really right!
From Natchez to Mobile,
From Memphis to Saint Joe,
Wherever the four winds blow,
They blow everywhere!
I've done been in some big towns,
Yes!
And I've heard me some big talk,
Uh-huh!
But there is one thing I know:
Keep a-talkin'!
A woman's a two-face,
A worrisome thing who'll leave you to sing
The blues (the blues) in the night!
Yes, in the night.
A woman will leave you singing the blues.
You're right, boys!
My mama was right,
There's blues in the night!


1/3/10