All That Jazz
Bones tap up stairs
down again into one
room out of another
They play the jazz
echoes of Coltrane Miles
Davis T Monk chiefly Sun Ra
She balleted in the womb
Music made her old soul unwind
She refused to be born
stood up tall to look through
her mother's eyes
hung onto the c(h)ord
for dear life
mantled herself tightly
The doctor plucked her out
She did not cry
but stared startled
heard jazz in her head
A jazz singer she
scatted smoke in Chicago bars
birthed tunes
that loom in candle
lit shadow played on
public radio
Bones sing through jazzed night
Ryfkah 6/21/02
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