the Baffle
  above yourheads on the stage
Did Nothing at alltonight to blast
  the coherenttone of your muse-ic
  into any randomineffable.

instead, the Baffle,
Flaunting symmetryin its internal carving
  [visually matching/reminiScentof 
   an Aeolian Harp’s “random” songs],
  Spun a chordof curling tones 
   out Washing over our heads on the dance floor,
to say nothing ofwhat people felt from It 
  further tothe sides.

baffled?
not so much eitherwas i 
  from the emotionalintegrity 
  of the tripletouch
  of your harmonies
  as i glancedleft:
   my eye seeing blurrily [baffled?] 
     as it looked out the left side
     of the left lens of my glasses
  to see thewash of people facing the stage
  and past themout the window to the ocean
   tide high
  seeing randomlyrippled false creek lights 
   glinting in kaleidoscope candle light yellow hues
  backedgroundedby the bottom lit 
   north tower of burrard bridge,
     rock steady;
no, none of this baffledme as your tones
  were the tonicthat welcomingly
   embracingly 
  subsumed
  the lightsentering my left eye.

baffled, neither, wasi 
  when the Baffleabove you Spread forth
  your lovely--needed--scrambleof the formulaic prison
  of trite musicalfluff:
“never be your girl”baffled the idiocy of the expected.

no, the Baffle,
  in your Service,
Fought the baffling
  of the chaoticdin of the bar
  and the sweat
  and chatter
  and spillingscotch
  and high dancer
  and [ever?]spurned boyfriends
  and posingpierced debutantes
  and ear-piecedbouncers
  and the circumstantialassaults
   on the sincere attempts
   of an uber-bartender
   to merely pour some shots for the band.

and while the soul
  of the décorof the bar
  endearinglylongs to be an okanagan ski chalet,
and the Baffle Announces
  the Offer oftones from your soul,
and while there wasno time
  for “time aftertime”
the blended Resonanceof your songs
  Washes throughmy mind
  even now
   washed in my gratitude
  all the wayhome.
 

Copyright 2002, Stephen Buckley 
06.01.02, 12:35 -1:20 am

[cherrybombcd release party. backstage lounge, arts club theatre, granvilleisland. friday, may 31, 2002.]