Johnny Mathis sings A Certain Smile, strings
and sopranos surrounding him, while Nat
King Cole soothes September Song to Shearing’s
clear ivory keys—raindrops entrechat
through wind chimes—while Sinatra croons Stardust,
while Eartha Kitt chanteuses Smoke Gets In
Your Eyes, throaty purr of Catwoman just
sipping the milk from a silver bowl when
Mathis returns with Chances Are. How would
Li Po respond, do you think, lying by
the Yangtze with iPod, feeling spry wood-
winds caress Eckstine’s vibrato softly
over Internet? Drunk, would he still drown,
trying to embrace the moon’s reflection?
Roger Armbrust
September 8, 2008
