how charlie shavers died
harvey shapiro
he had a gig
but he was hurting.
his doctor said, play the date,
then check into the hospital.
that night, when the party ended
and the band packed up,
charlie started to give stuff away---
his watch, his rings-to the women
in the room. then
he circled the room with his horn
playing: "for all i know we may never meet again
at this point, the man who was telling the story
in the locker room at the manhattan plaza gym
and who has sung the line slowly, with
a pause between each word, began to cry.