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Dr. Jazz
by
Nick Balmforth


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To me the best tonic
For ills great and small
Is to spend a few hours
At a hot jazz band ball.

For those moments in life
When I've had some regrets
I've been quickly cheered up
By jazz clarinets.

There've been days in the past
When I've had quite a moan
But that's soon disappeared
With a tailgate trombone.

When life seems a chore
And brimming with woe
It can vanish apace
With a Dixie banjo.

And when down in the dumps
And long in the face
A smile soon appears
At the sound of a bass.

There've also been times
When I've felt quite forlorn
But my spirits leapt up
To the trill of a horn.

When come those sad moments
And life feels quite glum
The old feet start tapping
To the beat of a drum.

And on those occasions
When tempers wear thin
Bad moods are transformed
By a jazz violin.

Add saxes and keyboard
A Sousa or two
And the whole joint starts jumping
It's a hullabaloo.

Yes jazz is my tonic
More than fortune or wealth
It should be prescribed
On the National Health.

 

© by Nick Balmforth.
Used with the author’s permission.

 


Nick Balmforth is a retired safety inspector of children's indoor play centres. His primary published work has been in the field of safety standardization for the British and European indoor play industry and he was awarded an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for his contributions in 2012. Nick was also a successful voice-over artist. In addition to writing poetry, he enjoys jazz. Nick lives in Staffordshire, England, where he says, "Life right now is one long rest. that's the style that suits me best!"

     


Post New Comment:
Lori Levy:
The poem itself is as good a "tonic" as the jazz it talks about!
Posted 11/18/2015 07:55 PM
Mary B.:
This is so true and right now I am going to listen to some classical jazz and try to think of something else besides current events and fear of the unknown (or known). Thank you for reminding me of the curative powers of this wonderful music!
Posted 11/18/2015 02:25 PM
erinsnana:
i LOVED THIS POEM!
Posted 11/18/2015 12:39 PM
Jancan:
Nick, I love your poem. I enjoy rhymed, metered poetry--reading it and writing it. Thanks for proving that this style of poetry can flow naturally while moving the reader with its theme and language. Janice
Posted 11/18/2015 11:40 AM
rhonasheridan:
One of the best cures going - loved it.
Posted 11/18/2015 04:09 AM


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