“All That Jazz” – a poem by Alan Abrams

October 30th, 2024

photo by William P. Gottlieb/Library of Congress

Dizzy Gillespie, 1947

___

All That Jazz
……for Bill Nevins

Drizzly droplets
Dripping from balcony rails,
Slipping down window panes
As I listen to Stevie Ray
Play Lenny. Man that
Cat could sweat as he
Plucks magic from
Six thin strings.
I like to think he’s grinning
At me from behind
These clouds, Jimi’s
Hand on his shoulder. So

Why must poets these days
Praise the jazzy greats
Of a black and white era?
Did blurry videos of
Dizzy and Miles teach
Them to riff, to fracture
Time, scramble line,
Leave behind
Rhyme, rhythm, un-
Like music
Of older days. Did

Bach perspire
At his organ,
Did Mozart schvitz
At his forte?
Did fluid gush
From their foreheads
Splash on their keys in
The passion of a cantata

Or concerto? Do
They likewise peer
Through the overcast
Down at us—appalled
By Rollins’s sax,
By Roach’s sticks,
By Stevie’s licks,
[By Stevie Nicks’
swaying hips]? For
that matter, does

Donne shudder at the
Mangled lines of cummings,
Does Dryden blanch at
The tin can imagery of
Ginsberg?

Geebus! I have
Things to do better
Than to watch the breeze
Upturn the leaves,
Listen to the rain
Splatter on the deck.
But there’s that
Guitar duet
Of Duane and
Dickey Betts
I haven’t played
In a while.
No sweat!

___

Alan Abrams is an art school dropout, former motorcycle mechanic, carpenter, builder, and bootleg architect. His stories and poems have been widely published in literary journals and anthologies, including Bourgeon/Mid Atlantic Review, The Innisfree Poetry Journal, The Galway Review, The Raven’s Perch, The Rat’s Ass Review, and many others.

(the photo of the author – with Rosa – was taken in 1979)

Listen to Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker play “Groovin’ High,” their 1945 performance featuring Slam Stewart (bass); Cozy Cole (drums); Remo Palmieri (guitar); and Clyde Hart (piano). [Universal Music Group],