Lady swayed on stage
long fingers cradling mic
as if it were
her lovers face
whispering mournful melodies
that filled the place
with the weight of her sadness
Patrons watched through whiskey glasses
twice filled and cocked back
to soften the sounds of her blows
as the
sloooooow mooooooan of the
saxophone
stirred up stories
from deep within the bowels
of their souls.
Lady sang the blues
in a white dress bathed in darkness
fillin’ up her emptiness
with whole notes
to tell the whole world
she ain’t gon’ die ‘cuz she loved him*
badooom boom bip
drumsticks slip and flip her
rhythm backwards, transfixed by
memories of how his melodies
used to hang soft ‘round her hips
but the brass played on
fief being paid with passions
echoes of crescendos
rising from
deep within her belly
spillin songs from lips
of sex, success, upsets
regrets, faults, and failures
she became music
held prisoner, and he was the jailor
her beauty,
chained by his madness
blastin’ like a horn
but now
the brass wings
and its winds
are liftin' her
feet dancing out the rhythm
Bags on the drums, strugglin
to keep up
Slim slidin fingers over strings and
Wese on keys
pluckin, pullin and pushin her
tears streaming down cheeks
erupting in ablution
Lady becomes reborn as song
blue notes turned red like fire
burning herself up to rebirth
a new soul from her ashes
while the crowd watches
bathed in sweat from the
heat her heart is hurlin’
beatin out the syncopations
of her
purification ritual
Singin’ like this song
On this night
Iz just the beginning.
response to a piece written by a friend called Jimmy's Blues
italicized lines are from the inspiration piece by tre
*loosely from 'lady sings the blues' by billie holiday
little boy,
i will love you
in spite of yourself
wipe away statistics
that run from your nose
i know
there is more to you
than this
contents of a folder
collected scores and
evaluations
medications for
low expectations
the calculation,
little,
boy.
i want no more
than to brush away the cross hairs
from your shoulder blades,
replace them with wings
to carry you
far from the empty nights
off of sagging porches
and
streets with no names
into worlds where you shall
redefine your own
and return home
to uplift this place.
many times i have placed you
between the mirror and myself
i am selfish,
watching your steps,
choreographing
from the side
the backstage master,
i mime movements to you
from shadows
just out of sight
mimic steps
i never seemed to have
remembered myself.
little girl,
your eyes,
in 3 years i have watched them change
the circles, lines, and
the light that illuminated,
slowly dimming
tunnel
closing
your hands
folding
over open mouth
stop speaking
you are losing your voice
closing your lips
as fast as legs open
little girl
many times
i have ran
merry-go-round circles
around your disappearing frame
i am watching you fade
into backgrounds
where we forget ourselves
and all
fall
down
my children,
you will leave
and i will remain
haunted by failures
and every drop of sweat
poured into bottomless cups
that were always half empty
the walls will close
the earth will
swallow you whole
the timid sheep
who lost their flock
far from my sheperding gaze
i will think of you
your name
will ring out in
frenzied pitch
carried by howling winds
that rattle the windows
of my memories
you are the lost ones
who forgot their way
and i,
the mother,
forgot to find you
a way out.
you will leave
and i will remain
haunted by failures
and every drop of sweat
poured into bottomless cups
that were always half empty
the walls will close
the earth will
swallow you whole
the timid sheep
who lost their flock
far from my sheperding gaze
i will think of you
your name
will ring out in
frenzied pitch
carried by howling winds
that rattle the windows
of my memories
you are the lost ones
who forgot their way
and i,
the mother,
forgot to find you
a way out.
- i be miss.abi
- reppin houston, United States
- the full info
