*note: This is a jazz poem written by the participants of the Poetry by the People Community Writing Intensive in Durham NC (sponsored by Betty's Daughter Arts Collaborative, SpiritHouse and BrokenBeautiful Press). It was written after reading Gwendolyn Benett's "Song" by passing a sheet of paper around while feeling the spirit of centuries of black music. Get together with some friends or yourself and make your own jam of a poem towards remembering.
Whispering a melody that should be foriegn
daddy drives to Birmingham in my sleep
drives like good news
drives like good lovin
drives like the day his baby girl
made freedom a proper noun like Miles or
Mingus or Coletrane Da Duh Da Duh 2,3,4
Beat Beat, beat to the rhythum
Hit the High Hat
Beat, Beat, beat to the rhythum
Don't stop the drive
The drive taking me to the "A train"
But enjoy the ride
Enjoy the ride.
Singing a melody I thought I had never heard
Before today
Before today
when waking up is explosion
when waking explodes/ a whisper
...and...so how is that?
red bursts...like quick silences
how is an explosion? a subway riff ripped
out of trumpet to awakeness
Selah, listen to the silence
it makes you wait, almost to the point of madness
Tap, tap, tap, that rim,
Selah, wait for that beat of realization
To realize a song sung liberate
Quick! Embrace the beat!
Quick Be about you beat!
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