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After Summertime, she stopped singing.
Johnny Winter’s blizzard outside hid Gershwin’s smile.
Imagine students, a no-school announcement from Herself
Texas prairie tonal drawl, a weary hard-scrabble blue voice.
We cheered.
Bessie Smith caught a ride to heaven and
Threw her thorny rose into the blue
Tumbling unfettered in the crystal evening, she grasped
Hard times for a spirit child
Hard times for a spirit child
Sweet sister, date, did you get it?
Did I get it? Or, was it just rock and roll.
After all, the Brothers were good.
Though, I heard her pleading, begging for a man to love,
sitting by her window looking at the rain.
It’s just the blues I told myself. I waited
for the end, pentatonic chordal raucousness.
A dramatic flash lit the stage, the final two chords.
We stood-up applauded; it was a show after all
nothing to be sad about.
We held each other at Tremont and Boylston.
The wind tried to pick us up and throw us into the sea.
On the way home from Harvard Square to Watertown, the bus broke down.
We waded through the snow thinking only of a ride
not knowing that she had already taken a piece of our hearts.
Bessie Smith caught a ride to heaven and
Threw her thorny rose into the blue
Tumbling unfettered in the crystal evening, she grasped
Hard times for a spirit child
Hard times for a spirit child
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--Submitted by jahughes436 on 2014-12-01.
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jahughes436:
Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem. I'm referring to Bessie Smith the great classical blues singer of the jazz era. Both Bessie Smith and Janis Joplin died in tragic circumstances before their time. Another take on the two singers is Dory Previn's song " A Stone for Bessie Smith".
Posted 12/06/2014 10:35 AM
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rhonasheridan:
I seem to remember Bessie Smith- she lived for quite a while in Lake Placid. A part of America I know quite well. I cannot equate her with this poem.? Is this a different Bessie Smith?
Posted 12/06/2014 08:51 AM
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jahughes436:
The title should be Janis. Sorry.
Posted 12/01/2014 08:19 AM
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