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

Daniel W. Brown reads his poem at its conclusion.

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Playing Sonny Rollins Loud in the Car

Hurrying to a dental appointment
I didn’t want to go to in the first place
an interminable red light and honking traffic
and the curve where people merge
20 MPH faster than necessary
four lanes into two
not a good day overall
though Sonny Rollins is playing loud;
“St. Thomas” warm balmy street carnival dance
and the loping jagged dissection of “Now’s The Time,”
at the damn light that won’t change
and a guy, a Poughkeepsie down home boy
grown older and looking a little tired around the edges
walking by turns on the sidewalk grins a bright sunny smile
and gives me a big thumbs up
and I smile back and wave as the light changes
and I travel on thinking now is that time that
is only right now and hip shaking sunshine Caribbean breezes
rolling by are an antidote to numbness of Novocaine
and traffic that snarls and grinds,
simply because somebody,
a stranger noticed beauty and cared.

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Listen to Daniel W. Brown read his poem

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Daniel W. Brown has loved jazz (and music in general) ever since he delved into his parents’ 78 collection as a child. He is a retired special education teacher who began writing as a senior. He always appreciates being published in journals and anthologies. At age 72 he published his first collection FAMILY PORTRAITS IN VERSE and Other Illustrated Poems through Epigraph Books, Rhinebeck, NY. Daniel writes daily about music, art and whatever else catches his imagination.

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Listen to the 1956 recording of Sonny Rollins performing “St. Thomas,” with Tommy Flanagan (piano); Doug Watkins (bass); and Max Roach (drums).  [Sonny Rollins official audio]

 

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Click here to read previous editions of The Sunday Poem

Click here to read “A Collection of Jazz Poetry – Spring/Summer, 2024 Edition”

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

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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