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I stood next to Richie Havens


by Walter Bjorkman


when he was hand slammin' that most powerful right hand in music history
in front of the Village Gate, begging for money

before Woodstock & all
I couldn't afford to pay to get in to see Dave Van Ronk
he couldn't either

that same night I went to a dive
don't remember the name
maybe The Bitter End
Blood, Sweat & Tears
was playing there, infusing jazz

picked up a Jersey Girl
'cause I knew about the
Leaning Tower of Pizza in Ramsey
near where she lived

fuck you Charles Bukowski
go cry in your eggs in a Jersey diner

we dry-humped, I was 16
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