Sir Charles Mingus

 By Cliff Chandler

Oh tormented soul

Against thy heart and pain

Yet your steady beat haunts us

And your tortured melodies

Soothe us, sometimes

Confuse us in its genius.

Oh lonesome soul

Your foot prints and

Peggy’s Skylight melodies

Hail your brilliance in song.

Song of Farbus

Song of America’s pain.

Bright star flutter in a musty loft

A rifle for a friend, puny rifle against

Strong glass ceilings from which

You broke in mind pain.

Genius child evicted

Priceless Instruments

Silent gig in a garbage

Truck, while you stood

Handcuffed by an adoring

Fan weeping for you and us.

Thump on Charlie

Thump on with Charlie and Duke

Basie and Billy songs of Holiday

And Eskstine.

Play your tunes of gold.

Play on and rest.

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