Bringing it all back home: a minstrel 12-bar blues portrait of Nehemiah

Conceptualised – some time ago.  Laid dormant – a couple years.  Brought it all back home: today.

The forgotten theatre of Nehemiah

1

Onstage a
sweaty cowboy
stumbles

2

as he goes out
at night
by the gate
of a valley
out past
the dragon well

3

& he looked
at the walls
& they were
broken down

4

& the gates
were consumed
by fire

5

& he revived
the stones
from the rubble

6

& with
one hand
he built

7

& the other
gripped his
pistol

8

& to the
audience
he sighed:

9

Remember me
for good.

10

So I said:
This too
shall pass
like time.

11

Where we
wander,
there we
weep,

12

I said
& walked
out.