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How the Big Bands Started

I’ve suffered Winter
enough America says
shoveling the 1930’s
and scraping
and shivering
and oh—
the short days
the clear air
the mills trimmed
the wounded rivers
but no jobs
until
Spring comes along
sleeps with everyone in the Republic
in 9 months
gives birth to metal trumpets and trombones

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John Stupp’s third poetry collection.Pawleys Island was published in 2017 by Finishing Line Press. His manuscript Summer Job won the 2017 Cathy Smith Bowers Poetry Prize and will be published in 2018 by Main Street Rag. He lives near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From 1975-1985 he worked professionally as a mediocre jazz guitarist.