Nancy's Poetry Review Forum

Billie Holiday



head, regal, tilt back



finger, slow-ly, snap



this girl horn the blues



this Lady croon the tunes







lazy, glass stare



ain't no fella nowhere



keep my bluesy girl from her



downtown, uptown, 'roundtown fun







Cotton Club-in Harlem



Bend notes, black folks, white dopes love 'em



Ain't nothin' but the blues are brewin'



Ain't nothin' but the blues are brewin'







Sway, snap, tap, crack



Once-smooth. Golden oil



Too much toil



Oh Blues!



Fussy, cussy, jazz-world foil







Shoo-be-doo-be-doo-wop, Scat-a-tat-tat



Ella, girl, sing it! toot your horn just like that



Louis, truly, trump your trumpet...



Blare! There it is! Satchmo, baby, please don't stop it



'Cause ma feet go thump, a-thumpin'



Pops, ma heart go tap, a-tappin'







See these greasy, sleazy cats



In to get me, into thievery



Jack! I spend big, lend big, drink big, sink big, talk big, walk big, snort big, snuff big



Ain't got no time



Save my money, save myself







Call me greatest, Lady Day



Bluesy throat, jazzy sway



Always liked behind the beat, not so much 'neath the sheet