A jazz/blues poem I wrote about the late singer Billie Holiday |
head, regal, tilt back finger, slow-ly, snap this girl horn the blues this Lady croon the tunes lazy, glass stare ain't no fella nowhere keep my bluesy girl from her downtown, uptown, 'roundtown fun Cotton Club-in Harlem Bend notes, black folks, white dopes love 'em Ain't nothin' but the blues are brewin' Ain't nothin' but the blues are brewin' Sway, snap, tap, crack Once-smooth. Golden oil Too much toil Oh Blues! Fussy, cussy, jazz-world foil Shoo-be-doo-be-doo-wop, Scat-a-tat-tat Ella, girl, sing it! toot your horn just like that Louis, truly, trump your trumpet... Blare! There it is! Satchmo, baby, please don't stop it! 'Cause ma feet go thump, a-thumpin'! Pops, ma heart go tap, a-tappin'! See these greasy, sleazy cats In to get me, into thievery Jack! I spend big, lend big, drink big, sink big, talk big, walk big, snort big, snuff big Ain't got no time Save my money, save myself Call me greatest, Lady Day Bluesy throat, jazzy sway Always liked behind the beat, not so much 'neath the sheet |