My world of jazz.


My Music

MY MUSIC
The creole of rhythm within is dormant,
A coiled spring ready to pounce,
As a snake in the jungle
In a tangled web of sounds,
It is music to my ears.

Jazz encircles me in that dormant state,
In my sleep, the trees or sea,
Swinging, beating, rocking my soul.
Lifting, lifting, and lifting me.
It’s my music in motion.

I see a tiger chasing
A trumpet in his jaw,
Prancing, stalking and playing his rag,
Louis Armstrong on his paw,
With music jumping before my eyes.

“Why don’t you do right, like other men do?”
As Benny honks his stick,
Bringing tears to my eyes;
Throbbing, pulsating and reliving,
It's my music of old.

Apex Blues by Bechet, pounding that beat.
Diddley, diddley, dum-dum,
Bumpety, bumpety, bom-bom,
Rolling, rolling and rolling along,
My music from the stairs aloft.

Smiles, tears falling down my cheeks,
When Gershwin’s Summertime enlivens the talk
By just being there, ticking and
Ticking, eyes blinking in time.
It’s music in my head.

Then there’s Sleepy Time Gal, Ed Hall’s rendition.
Distinctive, gritty, thrusting; unique.
The combos driving head, improvisations
Swinging from note to note, jumping, creating
Music, never to be forgotten.

Nostalgic Alphonse Picou’s High Society,
Clarinet showpiece extraordinaire; always.
Imitable styling, yet ancient re-creative recording.
Tonguing, harmonising and pale-toning.
My music of yesteryear.

The sombre minor theme, Egyptian Fantasy,
Exotic to the major; so different;
Conjuring, composing atmosphere, but,
It don’t mean a thing, if
It ain’t got that swing.

My idol Monty, with The Old Rugged Cross in B flat.
His Petite Fleur in the Barber Band and beyond;
Heart-rending, sweetness never to be forgotten.
My tears cannot cease.
My music is just a closer walk with thee.

Tony and Pete, always remembered,
Still recording their soul, with
Bass and bone strumming and roaring,
They eat, they touch, they feel
With notes plucked from the air.

Written, never forgotten
Friends of old, here and gone.
All strutting their stuff, Ice Cream, you scream.
I eat, I touch, I feel
My musical soul.





Poetry by Tony Clark
Read 139 times
Written on 2023-03-04 at 15:54

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Sona The PoetBay support member heart!
Beautiful
it seemed your words are moving to jazz too and sometimes
seemed to me the notes too. A continuous outpouring of music through your being and not just some moments.
Welcome!
2023-03-07


Uncle Meridian The PoetBay support member heart!
An engaging and skilled exposition of your favourites! And welcome, sir!
2023-03-05


Griffonner The PoetBay support member heart!
Wow! What a wonderful inaugurative submission, Tony. I can feel your passion through your words. Bravo! Welcome indeed. :)

Blessings, Allen
2023-03-05


one trick pony The PoetBay support member heart!
I love this for its scope and appreciation of jazz. I second Dougie's comment: welcome to poetbay.
2023-03-04


D G Moody
This is so good Tony, and a very warm welcome to PoetBay. The poem brings to me the aliveness of jazz, the rhythm and the lyrical language you've captured so well. I must confess, I'm mostly a Bix Beiderbecke fan - though I do recognise some of the others. Anyway....

Bravo!
2023-03-04