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The Sunday Poem  is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.

Malcolm McCollum reads his poem at its conclusion.

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New York World-Telegram and the Sun staff photographer: Fisher, Alan, photographer/via Wikimedia Commons

Fats Waller, 1938

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Fats Waller

I present you with a disgusting floor,
covered with ocher lumps of puke,
piles of paper refuse, cigarette butts,
all swimming in a sea of black water.

Can you remove this human nasty?
Of course you can!
Just let me sit down on this bench,
touch my tips to the keys.

Look and listen: the Great God
is in the air, breathing.
Put your tip to whatever it want to touch.
Feel what come back.

Go on, now, you – Go On!
What do you see? The world
clean as when born,
and the birds asleep sing.

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Listen to Malcolm McCollum read his poem

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Malcolm McCollum taught English literature and composition, humanities and music history for 35 years at Colorado colleges and universities. He has published Dmitri’s Agenda, The Guards, Translations from the Human (with Zigmund Steiner) (poetry), My Checkered Career and The Aim Was Song (memoirs), Can You Hear Me Now? and A Loose Canon  (essays on media and literacy and favorite writers)

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Listen to the 1929 recording of Fats Waller performing “Handful of Keys” [RCA/Victor]

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Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem

Click here to read “Not From Around Here,” Jeff Dingler’s winning story in the 66th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest

Click here for information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction

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