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The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.
Jerrice J. Baptiste reads her poem at its conclusion.
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The cover to Nina Simone’s 1967 album Silk and Soul [RCA/Legacy]
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Brown Girl
…..(inspired by Nina Simone’s 1967 recording of “The Turning Point”)
You punched him in his chin
Jimmy not her kin
can’t let a bully
do her in.
Mama Nina where are you?
They tug her coarse hair
untamed wild animals
swing in jungle air.
Shield her brown girl, with elephant’s
deep voice. Mama Nina fights
with her ivory tusks before
pebbles, stones, dust
are thrown.
Brown angel with fuchsia wings
offers us a song to sing.
She wants to play.
What harm can
it bring?
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Listen to Jerrice J. Baptiste read her poem
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Nina Simone died on April 21, 2003
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Jerrice J. Baptiste is a poet and author of eight books. Her poetry has been published and is forthcoming in Artemis Journal, Urthona: Buddhism & Art, Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality & The Arts, The Yale Review, Mantis, The Dewdrop, The Banyan Review, Kosmos Journal, Jerry Jazz Musician and elsewhere. She has been nominated as Best of The Net for 2022 by Blue Stem. Her poetry and collaborative songwriting are featured on the Grammy award nominated album- Many Hands: Family Music for Haiti.
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Listen to the 1967 recording of Nina Simone performing “The Turning Point” [RCA/Legacy]
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Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem
Click here to read “A Collection of Jazz Poetry – Winter, 2024 Edition”
Click here to read “The Old Casino,” J.B. Marlow’s winning story in the 64th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
Click here for information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction
Click here to subscribe to the (free) Jerry Jazz Musician quarterly newsletter
Click here to help support the ongoing publication of Jerry Jazz Musician, and to keep it commercial-free (thank you!)
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