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The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.
CJ Muchhala reads her poem at its conclusion.
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photo via RawPixel
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Crossing Over
She was four, just waking to the world.
Aware of rain and blue air, of singsong words,
of a low trill as she drifted into night. Abruptly
she was lifted
into unfamiliar voices, giant vined trees, hunger.
Cradled in her father’s arms through jungle paths,
the thump of helicopter blades and syncopated
raindrops is all that she’ll remember, when
grown, and safe, she’s caught again
as bass and drums return her to that flight,
the saxophone to the wailing of her mother.
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Listen to CJ Muchhala read her poem
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Listen to the 1966 recording of Ornette Coleman (on trumpet) playing “The Empty Foxhole,” with Charlie Haden (bass) and Denardo Coleman (drums). [Universal Music Group]
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CJ Muchhala has absolutely no musical ability but a great deal of appreciation for and love of jazz and blues. She does, however, try to make music with words which have found their way into a number of journals, anthologies, and art/poetry exhibits.
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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 “Ballad,” Lúcia Leão’s winning story in the 65th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
Click here for information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction
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