LOVER

DO YOU EVEN KNOW ME

The first time I was in Hollywood, I was with my rock n roll band, wearing a red slip and men's oxfords. Kierkegaard's great niece or some such blood relative of the man was courting us for A&M records. She took us to the lot where Chaplin filmed, and later I stood in the teensy tiny studio Joni Mitchell recorded "Blue" in. Chris Cornell told me to eat an apple every day to protect my pipes. I don't remember eating anything at all. I made us all walk around the sleazy parts of downtown, lots of dirty white people and heavy metal hair, it felt harmless compared to Detroit. I insisted we visit the stars in cement, the real ones, cuz I had to find Bette Davis. When I did, I got on my knees and put my hands in her hands in the cement and they fit PERFECTLY. What I have is better than her eyes, I HAVE BETTE DAVIS HANDS

YRSA DALEY WARD

Community

My Detroit family - people, places - welcomes me home