Fat Jersey Blues

Title Page, Other Works in the Series, Copyright, Dedication

fat jersey blues AKRON SERIES IN POETRY akron series in poetry Mary Biddinger, Editor John Repp, Fat Jersey Blues Emilia Phillips, Signaletics Seth Abramson, Thievery Steve Kistulentz, Little Black Daydream Jason Bredle, Carnival Emily Rosko, Prop Rockery Alison Pelegrin, Hurricane Party Matthew Guenette, American Busboy Joshua Harmon, Le Spleen de Poughkeepsie David Dodd Lee, Orphan, Indiana Sarah Perrier, Nothing Fatal Oliver de la Paz, Requiem for the Orchard Rachel Dilworth, The Wild Rose Asylum John Minczeski, A Letter to Serafin John Gallaher, Map of the Folded World Heather Derr-Smith, The Bride Minaret William Greenway, Everywhere at Once Brian Brodeur, Other Latitudes Titles published since 2008. For a complete listing of titles published in the series, go to www.uakron.edu/uapress/poetry fat jersey blues John Repp The University of Akron Press Akron, Ohio Copyright © 2014 by John Repp All rights reserved • First Edition 2014 • Manufactured in the United States of America. All inquiries and permission requests should be addressed to the Publisher, the University of Akron Press, Akron, Ohio 44325–1703. 18 17 16 15 14 5 4 3 2 1 isbn: 978-1-937378-93-6 (cloth) isbn: 978-1-937378-94-3 (paper) isbn: 978-1-937378-95-0 (ePDF) isbn: 978-1-937378-96-7 (ePub) l i b r ary of cong res s catalo ging -in-publication data Repp, John. Fat Jersey Blues / John Repp. — First edition. pages cm. — (Akron Series In Poetry) Includes bibliographical references. i s b n 978-1-937378-93-6 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-937378-94-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-937378-95-0 (epdf) — ISBN 978-1-937378-96-7 (epub) I. Title. PS3568.E68F38 2014 811'.54—dc23 2013039496 ∞ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of ansi/ niso z39.48–1992 (Permanence of Paper). Cover: Photo courtesy John Repp Cover design: Lauren McAndrews Fat Jersey Blues was designed and typeset in Mrs. Eaves by Lauren McAndrews and printed on sixty-pound natural and bound by Bookmasters of Ashland, Ohio. Kathy (always) back in the pines way back where the deer flies whine back in the pines way back where the deer flies whine my baby stomps stomps berries into wine no more nothing where the cedar water glow no more mama no more where the water glow no moon where I run none where the black night go got the fat Jersey blues got blues in my mouth fat Jersey blues what put blood in my mouth sing & dance all night never get gone from the south —Junior J. Walter, “Fat Jersey Blues” ...