Beetlebung and Kettlehole--April Poems

All Shades of Jazz

You reinvent your musical persona
from bebop to hip-hop, sipping
strong coffee, Colombiano Supremo,
from a white ceramic mug
to postpone the conversation
for another unforgiving gathering.
“Have to talk to the kids about stuff
before the final you-know-what.”
Yet, you’re with Alex on the trombone
with bluesy inflection.
“Just for a moment, remind yourself
to face things.”
Not now, for Sonny’s on the sax,
freewheeling. Still, you listen
to clichés, later to avoid them
for the sake of melody,
chord progression, improvisation.
Then, you create on the spot,
leaving him on his own
with his you-know-what,
to make Louis Armstrong proud.