NAT KING COLE

croons “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire;”
voice velvety as cocoa butter
warms listeners, seats them round a hearth;

every word, every idea, clear as a bell,
envelop listeners, rhythmically rock them
invite smiles, affection, communal celebration.

As the final note fades, silence settles,
a silence in which a few still sway
in memory and in hope for a better day.

__________

Michael L. Newell is a retired secondary school English/Theatre teacher who has lived one-third of his life abroad on five continents.  He is passionate about a wide range of music, jazz being a particular favorite.  He now lives on the south-central Oregon coast.