stonepicnicking_okapi

I found these in collection entitled The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes. I wanted something to go with the jazz of Music Monday. I wrote my own kyrielle sonnet inspired by 1974 Blues by Eddie Harris.

Jazzonia by Langston Hughes

Oh, silver tree!
Oh, shining rivers of the soul!

In a Harlem cabaret
Six long-headed jazzers play.
A dancing girl whose eyes are bold
Lifts high a dress of silken gold.

Oh, singing tree!
Oh, shining rivers of the soul!

Were Eve’s eyes
In the first garden
Just a bit too bold?
Was Cleopatra gorgeous
In a gown of gold?

Oh, shining tree!
Oh, silver rivers of the soul!

In a whirling cabaret
Six long-headed jazzers play.

Dream Variation by Langston Hughes

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me—
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening . . .
A tall, slim tree . . .
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.

Jazz Kyrielle Sonnet by okapi

nowhere to go, nothing to see,
no more than normal troublin’ me
a bright spring morn, a-movin’ feet,
a funk-beat shuffle down funk street

early sun’s warm, birds are a-chirpin’,
ain’t nothin’ hurt more than it’s hurtin’
shoes got the rhythm, toes got t’beat
a funk-beat saunter down funk street

mindin’ no business—even my own
ramblin’ along, feet far from home
a gambol, so free and so sweet,
a funk-beat shamble down funk street

nowhere to go, nothing to see,
a funky meander down funk street