Jazz Poems

JAZZ

I’d like to know everything

A jazz artist knows, starting with the song

“Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.”

Like to make some songs myself

“Goodbye Rickshaw,”

“Goodbye Lemondrop,”

“Goodbye Rendezvous.”

Or maybe even blues:

If you fall in love with me I’ll make you pancakes

All morning. If you fall in love with me

I’ll make you pancakes all night.

If you don’t like pancakes

We’ll go to the creperie. If you don’t like pancakes

We’ll go to the creperie.

If you don’t like to eat, handsome boy,

Don’t you hang around with me.

On second thought, i’d rather find

The fanciest music I can, and hear all of it.

I’d rather love somebody

And say his name to myself every day

Until I fall apart.

ANGELA BALL

from Jazz Poems ~ Selected and Edited by Kevin Young

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