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The poet tells EQMM: This poem was written in honor of a departed friend who was a true fan and devotee of crime fiction—particularly noir—and jazz. It is an evocation of a conceptual world that he loved. Readers may enjoy the puzzle of identifying the various characters who appear—some obvious, some less so. How can I go back To somewhere I've never been? Night in some city Fictional metropolis; A somewhere that place And time elide. Future now, present past Facades change, themes remain. Baldwin’s here, heart aflame Listening, loving. With the struggle. Good trouble. As Bill unlocks his soul