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The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.
Manuel J. Grimaldi reads his poem at its conclusion.
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Tom Marcello, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Charles Mingus; July 4, 1976
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Mingus au Paradis
Mingus howling, his bass rumbling in their faces,
Shouting yeah! Yeah, oh yeah! The insistent barking growl.
Their chains beat loose by the savage blues that chases.
The piano made to pound and ring out Charlie’s pulsing praises
Screamed of saints, and sin, and women—making preachers scowl.
And Mingus howled, his bass rumbling in their faces.
The prosperous in prison on their paisley purple chaises—
Praying Gabriel screeches on his weathered horn, the cat to yowl,
Their chains beat loose by the savage blues that chases.
Don’t dance in the winter without a partner to keep paces,
This music’s company, this music, night’s sentinel when devils prowl.
Yes. Charles Mingus howls, his bass rumbling in their faces.
They strike up his music to keep watch over their embraces,
Stuttering a saxophone plays ahhhhh, a bright golden vowel,
Their chains beat loose by the savage blues that chases.
The dancers tear away, a flurry of silken black Chantilly laces
Deep in the Spanish night and in flamenco’s raspy growl,
And Charles Mingus is howling, his bass rumbling in their faces,
Their chains beat loose by the savage blues that chases.
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Listen to Manuel J. Grimaldi read his poem
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Manny Grimaldi is a father, performance artist, musician, editor, and writer. His body resides in Louisville, but his brains live in Lexington, Kentucky most days of the week. He acts as managing editor of Yearling poetry journal, now in its upcoming fourth year. Manny is printed, or forthcoming, online and otherwise in The Rye Whiskey Review, Pegasus, Moss Puppy, and Disturb the Universe Magazine.
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Listen to the 1963 recording of the bassist Charles Mingus performing his composition “Solo Dancer,” from the album The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady [Universal Music Group]
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Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem
Click here to read “Bluesette,” Salvatore Difalco’s winning story in the 67th 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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