Mystery Bop

Some of my poems read more like lyrics. So for this one, you might imagine a bass playing "Rhythm Changes" behind it....

Mystery Bop

Rls 11/02

You do too much is what she said to me

Gotta pare down your phil-os-oph-y

Isn’t about how much we can say we do

It’s all about staying pure and (being) true

But what if I like it when it’s mes-sy and rough?

It’s still kind-a rare..

It’s still kind-a tough.

What if I like to wait before I simp-li-fy?

I’ll just never know unless I try

You tend to over-do is what she said to me

Gotta pare down  on your ac-ces-sor-ies

Isn’t about what we adorn ourselves with

It’s all about the real you and not the myth

But what if I like it when it’s over the top

It’s over-dram-at-ic

It’s mystery bop

What if I like to wait before I simp-li-fy

I just want to try and reach that pie in the sky!

For Annie

For Annie

Rhonda Laurie 2011

They were grey-blue, her eyes

Unlike mine

She lived alone, died alone

And she was kind

I will never know her

But I now can hear about her

See images of a time gone by

Standing less than five feet tall,

She had no choice

Too small to be heard

She had no voice

She went away, you know

As if nothing ever happened

And no one even asked

No one.

R.I.P. Dave Brubeck (1920-2012)

Reflections On A Blue Note a la Turk

One two one two one two three

Brubeck counted differently

Long straight fingers hit the keys

 Thelonious Monk, so playfully!

Classy Duke, composed and played

Sometimes swing or serenade

Louis Armstrong on the horn

Dizzy, Miles, be-bopped til morn…

Soulful singing swing with scat

Armstrong, Ella, Mel all sang like that

Improvising melody or chords

Coltrane, Parker, saxophone lords

Hip hop, rock. and R&B

Influenced by  jazz, you see

One two one two one two three

Let’s take five

Jazz sets us free

 rhonda laurie