Trail Of Thought

Cherry

By skinner_jennifer

Mon, 02 May 2022
  • 2580 reads
18 comments
 

A poem written to the sounds

of Jazz, and inspired by

the Bohemian and Beat

Generation.

 

Afternoon Lounge Jazz - Relaxing Jazz Music for Work & Study - YouTube

 

Beat-nik by J.M. Van Eaton (Cool Daddy O 60's beatnik music) - YouTube

 

 

Arbiters of drama envelope

listeners, intrigue minds,

troubadours little known,

attentive to bohemian art;

that of Salvador Dali and

Amedeo Modigliani.

 

While Jazz from some

mellow back street joints,

where sticky floors

meet pounding beats;

 

smudging atmosphere,

relaxed cool cats are fine.

Streaking eye shadow runs

down flush of cheeks,

lipstick smears...and

still flows the drinks.

 

Mouthy drunks;

philosophers converge

gaudy coffee bars,

versed in idiomatic

alternative phraseology,

putting world to right

with intellectual

opinions on society,

 

while others standing

in shop doorways, or

on edge of city corners,

waiting for that daily fix,

feelings of high flying on

haze of hopefully not dying,

 

 

crafty foxes calculating:

befriending victims worm

for bating, they'll offer

glance into your soul

at leisure, cut you off;

hard cash is what

they're after.

 

At dawn after partying hard,

hipsters swagger to their squat,

hit sack recalling voices churning;

pulsating rhythms in their dreams

of smoky clubs and lyrical themes

of non-conforming.

 

 

 

Pixabay free to use image.

 

Certificate 18
Poem
Poems
Philosophy

Comments

Submitted by marandina on

I can see the billows of smoke coming from the jazz joints of old. A very visual poem that entwines the sights and sounds of the subject matter so well. Paul :)

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Thanks so much for reading Paul. I'm so glad my descriptions created an atmosphere you could grasp. I had a lot of fun writing this poem and listening to the cool sounds. 

Appreciate the feedback and thank you again.

Jenny. 

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Smoke cloud hanging yes we must have that atmosphere but now it's illegal whatever happened to freedom of association?

Good work Jenny I never took you one for Jazz! They always teach Classical music at university and Jazz. Nothing else. People obviously take it seriously I'm familiar with some also from long ago mostly. Students learn music theory and playing and performing of instruments as quite standard. But of course here they teach traditional African music as well.

Dreamed something a bit upsetting happened to me on my way a black cat crossed the road. He said his name was death. Haunting. Well I try to not be too superstitious but it was playing Mack the Knife. Is it Louis Armstrong or Duke Ellington?

Keep well! Cheers! Tom

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

we've lost so much freedom in every manner of speaking. I'm just glad that I was young in a time when I could be myself. I spent many a Sunday afternoon at our local pub listening to blues music...which I'm also fond of, in the smoky atmosphere drinking pints of lager. Even managed to see a Doors tribute band who were legendary at the time and they blew my mind on a sunday afternoon.

Now we'll never get that back, it's those memories that I'll take with me for the rest of my life. I love many genres of music, whatever it may be. Jazz is relaxing and I love Chet Baker. If I hear a piece of music and it takes me to another place, then the musics done it's job.

I was sorry to hear about your dream, it sounds like a nightmare. Black cats are supposed to be lucky, so I wouldn't read too much into it. Have positive thoughts, that's what I always say.

You take care and thank you for reading and your thoughts.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

It's very atmospheric and blends the desire of not conforming, and wanting to lose themselves in beat and sound loud enough to escape into, with the expoitation they are so vulnerable to  —

crafty foxes calculating:befriending victims worm for bating and offer glance into your soul at leisure, cut you off; hard cash is what they're after

as they are waiting for that daily fix, feelings of high flying on haze of hopefully not dying,

Thought-provoking and sad. Rhiannon

 

 

 they'll

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

you're right it's sad, especially when it came to mind expanding drugs, but I suppose the kids of the that generation were rebelling and looking for something more exciting than the mundane life their parents had, especially after the second world war...well that's what I read.

It's very kind of you to read and I always appreciate your thoughts. 

Thank you so much.

Jenny. 

 

Submitted by celticman on

I guess I'm one of the mouthy drunks, not into jazz, but like this. 

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Jack,

I wasn't sure anyone would read this poem, so it was great to read your comment. I got so much pleasure from writing it, so it was wonderful to get the cherries. Thank you so much. smiley

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

 

You definitely convey the dangerous feel in some Jazz, to someone like me who is more of a scaredy than a cool sort of cat

"high flying on

haze of hopefully not dying

 

crafty foxes calculating:

befriending victims worm

for bating, they'll offer

glance into your soul

at leisure, cut you off;

hard cash is what

they're after."

 

though people like that are conforming, wanting to make money out of other people, whatever the words in the songs they listen to while going about the business.

 

as Paul says, you have really evoked a vibe here!

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I know this poem is slightly different from anything else I've written lately, but I've always had a love of many different poets and I'm very flexible with my tastes which pretty well sums me up as being edgy and eclectic at times. Over the past couple of weeks I've been reading poets like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg, which is how I came to write this poem. They are of the beat generation and very inspiring in their work. I do find Jazz incredibly relaxing and inspiring too. 

I suppose in the past I've never been one for settling in one place, always enjoying moving on. Now that I'm older and more weary, I can no longer travel like I used to, so I'm moving in different directions all the time with my mind, which keeps me balanced, all thanks to my partner who I couldn't do any of this without his support.

It's always lovely to chat to you Di, as I think you're someone who understands me and a kind soul. Hope you didn't mind me rambling on a bit, but it's nice to get my feelings down. Thank you again for reading and your great comment which is always welcome.

Jenny. 

 

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I admire you so much! You are always opening new windows, looking out, growing

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Good morning Di,

I'm glad you understand and thank you so much for replying back.

Take care.

Jenny. smiley

 

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

ooh, mellow jazz for those leadig the smoky life, You make me want to be there, Jenny

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

You're most welcome Ray, I too wouldn't have minded being part of the cool bohemians, if only to have had the experience.

Thank you for stopping by to read and leave a great comment.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by hilary west on

Hi Jenny,

 A very jazzy offering in every way, complex too ! Much enjoyed !!!

hilary  smileyyes

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

and a big Jazzy thank you from me for reading and leaving a kind comment. I'm glad you enjoyed.

Jenny. smiley

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Jenny

 

This is so clever and fun.  You take us right to the place, and we can hear the music in the background.

Jean Day

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

I'm so glad I could take you to the places in this poem. It's a period in time that seems to resonate with me, more for the music, poets and those bars where the kids congregated, than anything else.

Appreciate you taking the time to read and leave a comment.

Hope you are well and continuing to recover.

Jenny.smiley