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Poetry Boulevard Feb 2018
White leaves rustle
in autumn
To a swinging beat,
marked with ink –

Staff lines,
and sharps
that fall
flat.

Synchronised
To the wave
of a maestro’s
hands.

Camaraderie.
But no words are needed.

A fervent look
From the drummer
Gives away the tempo,
Speed up!

A rehearsed nod
starts an improvised solo
in another mode.
Mixolydian.

We exist on the same
wavelength;
you and I.
Cana Feb 2018
Morning mood was bleak
Spiced with some Jazz, a poached egg and Appreciation.

Noon was carnival!
BBQ on the dock sprinkled with tropical house and a heavy dose of ***.

Night was narcissism
Sinful Bourbon and banana desserts, cigarettes aplenty, blue lights and bad habits
Day 6 was a good day.
izzy z Feb 2018
Jazz,
Only element that can get us through and bring us all together
The sound of the trumpet and trombone.
Even through the toughest time,
We all come together
And forget our rough day.

Maybe,
Tomorrow we can be seen like the others,
Not being watched over and having all eyes on us.

The police officer and that dog always are around.
Can we not have a night without them?
Sorry we are all different yet still the same.
this poem is framed around the picture "Saturday Night Street Scene" By Archibald Motley
Bird's flight
Tight light
Be op do op and all the light
Over the tired and torn world

The shingle-tingles
Peg leg harms
Needles  beadles
Pawnshops mattresses

Brownstone runs
Past and reeds
Diminished incliner
Augmenting disarranger

Kali and calipers
Ricoh fives fire knives
Air recess
Dying confess

Less swing than gallows
Racing  tracing
We passing
Futile asking
aurora kastanias Jan 2018
Grazin’ in the grass was mellow indeed
when you blew into your trumpet
blaring sounds of peace. What a trip!
Just watchin' as the world goes past,

you used to say playing notes of jazz.
Music of resistance for a tortured land
imbued in the blood of its natives bashed,
by the impudent high-handed little white man.

As your grandmother cared for you and miners
in illegal bars, piano keys enticed dreams of hope
for second class citizens silenced by oppression,
while the chaplain gave you your first instrument.

Little did you know the melodies you’d pour
on the rampant fires of blatant injustice.
Little did you know the strength you would instil
embodying possibilities, shedding light on the obscure.

Soweto blues you composed as Miriam gave
her voice to screaming mothers to cry out,
atrocities in town. Bring Him Back Home
you sang from afar until they did, and you

returned to see the prisoner walk free,
down the streets hand in hand with Winnie.
Only afterwards I heard your words and will
to show the people just how

wonderful and excellent they are.
A message I cherish and the reason why
many will remember you, your tune your smile,
as he who kept the torch of freedom alive.

A baobab tree has fallen indeed.
dedicated to Hugh Masekela
Ivan Brooks Sr Jan 2018
Being black is the essence of strength
The ones my ancestors relied on to survive
When forcibly shipped across the ocean's length
Hanging on to only hope just to keep alive .

Being black is the essence of performance
The ones we put up at the mighty Apollo
When jazz and blues fill hearts with romance
As Chuck Berry's feet moved like flamingo .

Being black is the essence of toughness
Like those possesed by the giant baobab
Comes rain, storms, it stands in calmness
Defiant just like the sons of Queen Habib .

Being Black is the essence of athleticism
Portrayed by LeBron James, Jordan and Tiger
Gifted Black brothers born with enthusiasm
Black Essence runs deep as the River Niger .
Very inspirational piece, ceremoniously rich in tone...Black Essence celebrates  my people, their struggles ,strengths athleticism and talents .
Red
He skulks around late at night, all hollow
innocence to swallow, beast within burns
his fire - demonic Dorian Gray, an infinity
of void, reflecting  through mirrors of lead

The blood is the lifeforce of the words, it flows
it's the rhythm that keeps on flowing, crimson --

Lifeforce within, flowing, like rivers in some
******* babylon, baby, pregnancy of the earth boom boom
vampire bite, what a fright, burned eyes boo boo --
trapped in this zoo, man - caged beast, man.

Every man is a caged beast, controlled and
*******, flawed creature, bashing head against the bars
and poets? They are the most flawed of all, dreaming of
escape, no hope, scraping the claws against the wall.

Red crimson lifeforce flows, big bang bachelors
drinking in noir nights, feeling the fright of the
big girls against the ceilings, their dreaming lips
which siren lust and ***, screaming in the night
siren. Bountiful ****, *******.

Sirens of ***, burning in the night, hemp smoking in
the corner, drink more, smoke more, **** more, feel more -
red - red -  red - red
blood / blood / blood

Give it in, keep it burning in your veins, through the heart
that brain, it needs something to keep on ticking
like the grandfather clock, tick tock tick tock
feed your ****, red crimson moon, find a girl
treat her right, be tight with the devine
that feline moma won't wait around forever

so don't expect her too, just treat her right
be tight, and hold her in the night, out of sight
nebula dreams with your love, sozzled right.
Wasted and burnt by your eyes.

Seal her red within with your tears of divinity
and bleed for her too when you need to.

Red, like the colour of a rose,
or at least the bleeding of a moon.
Bada bing, bada boosh.
Nichole Dec 2017
So this is me...
Drinking tea, writing , listening to Jazz.

The voices the voices,

Inspire,
Entrance,

*** o bee, boop, shuu boop.
The skill, the dance.

You should turn some on,
Give it a chance.

..... And all that Jazz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you like it let me know :)
Liz Carlson Dec 2017
she held the greatest capacity for love
he had ever seen,
for her heart had been shattered
more times than she could count.

she told him to stay away,
for she feared the love of another man.
though that didn't stop
the evident spark between the two.

she finally jumped
into the arms of love,
and forever they will
dance in the dark
to the sound of slow jazz.

pulling their bodies apart,
and their hearts together once more.
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