Jimi’s fireplace
Jimi’s Fireplace
Jimi Hendrix’s legendary performance during which he lit on fire while performing on stage in London in 1967. Looking to make a name for himself, while living and playing in London, Hendrix lit the Fender Strat on fire, only to burn himself while performing the stunt during the song "Wild Thing". Hendrix was taken to the hospital, but not before he told the venue’s roadies to retrieve the guitar. The rest is rock history.
“Move over Rover, and let Jimi take over.”
Jimi Hendrix
is still sitting on lyrics in the back of Vie’s Chicken & Steak at 209 Union Street,
sacrificing the beasts of the earth for a plate of soul food:
freshly baked homestyle biscuits so good they keep the beat of your song
while blending in with the melody,
cornbread contemplating creative control as it provides food for your soul,
an entourage of sirloins play incendiary thrills on southern grills
hot sauce pyrotechnics make red giants bleed in salutation
while groupies of fries pile on to the side,
garlic provides security detail to keep the vamps away,
an entourage of peas, mushrooms and onions pay extra to get back stage
filling the shack with the aroma of afro-peripheralism at play
Pacific Northwest of the center stage – heroic blaze.
Back in the day, Buster the soldier boy might say:
“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her poor dog a bone,
but as she bent over, ol’ Rover drove her, because he had a bone of his own.”
In 1970 Jimi has bones to pick in London hotel rooms,
the Queen consents to have her contract extended like an off ramp
destroying Nora’s square mile, her grandchild and his girlfriend Betty Jean
forcing families into blockbusting exile and project housing
admistrative arson and capital zoning
Children v. Profit
there is unrest undermining urban renewal in war.
Justice only exists in an invisible world of 353 degrees of infrared to ultraviolet light
which Jimi can clearly see
in the rain
at night
even though he can’t see his mom
when he comes in from the cold
and plants a kiss from burnt lips
into her cup
taking each sip of wisdom into mantra
like an anthem
dropping bombs bursting deadlier than agent orange napalm
electric alchemy
gold to platinum.
Wanted: dead or alive
the green of greed, gambling and envy
is a plane crash waiting to happen
mid-air collision
star spangled disaster
indigenous rocks are rare in this hazy atmosphere.
How were you to know there was a price on your head?
Original Afro Samurai
they took your number one headband
traded it with the devil at the crossroads
for some sleeping pills and poison wine
flipped the story and strung you out like you played yourself.
You will not rest in peace,
it is too hot where you are
gifted with Grandma’s fashion sense,
you left in ‘68 strumming a flipped and restrung guitar.
“I too am Rock & Roll,” was your flaming epitaph smashed on stage
an epic wreckage of genius and rage
“Now dig this baby,
and stop acting so crazy!”
Just make my Cherokee heart sing
while my lips burn up these strings and smoke signals to the nation.
Have you ever seen music on a parachute in boot camp?
Have you ever seen guitar string dental floss after a hearty meal?
Your service is to love and not to fight.
Make yourself comfortable in a living room of passion and desires burning bright
cuddle the cosmic flame of winter
Your blood still ignites the hearts and minds of lovers and prophets
in a time where hearts are broken and prophecies are false
your rhythm is true.
The Blues have always been American
As American as Vie’s apple pie
Moorish Nobility
Hogan’s Alley Aristocracy
Grand Prince of the African Methodist Episcopalean Fountain Chapel of Empress Zenora
Ross Hendrix is petitioning to be a Canadian citizen
because Vanrock is the preferred city to be living in.
Seattle serves as a suitable port of entry
and somewhere in this experience
an Indigo Kushite child is dressed in Royal Purple
flipping and restringing a right-handed Fender Strat over discarded military arms
sweating lighter fluid
and spitting
Fire.