ChickenBones: A Journal

for Literary & Artistic African-American Themes

   

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We listened to that music: / our caterpillars instantly / were butterflies.

 

 

 

Duke Ellington

The man is forever.

 

Blue savoir-faire

We loved that. We loved

that dukehood. We loved royalty and riff

because we could not reach them for ourselves.

 

We loved. We love.

 

He built a fuzzy blanket all around us.

He fed us, in such Ways! He

could educate us toward fulfillment,

reduce our torrents, maim our hurricanes.

 

We listened to that music:

our caterpillars instantly

were butterflies. Our sorrows

sank, in sweet submission.

 

He provided philanthropy

of profound clouds, provided

shredded silver and red, provided

steel and feathers.

 

     We have him!

     The man is forever.

     We have forever

     his sass, his electric Commitment,

     his royalty, his Love.

*   *   *   *   *

Source: In Montgomery and Other Poems

 

 

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Related files:   Gwen Brooks Bio  In Montgomery Reviews   In Montgomery Contents   Black Love  Gottschalk and the Grande Tarantelle    Duke Ellington   

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