American Poetry

A singer of songs,
- no nightingale -
crow’s caw voice:
Tom tells tales
of others, un-persons,
drunks, ‘dancers’ and down and outs.

Manic music made
on rag-and-bone instruments.
The ruined rhythm
of a lame locomotive:
American mysteries;
downright dangerous sounds.

Tom Waits (1949 - ) Influential US singer songwriter. Critically acclaimed, commercially unsuccessful artist.