April is National Poetry Month

For some reason I just now found out (on April 30th!) that April is National Poetry Month. Apparently this was started by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. April was chosen because as T. S. Eliot wrote, "April is the cruelest month" and they hoped to lessen that. In honor of National Poetry Month I'm including a favorite poem of mine. The date I wrote this was February 5th, 1995.

Jazzman

The flight cut through the smoke filled room,
the vibrant sound, accompanied by smooth tones, rose to a destined crescendo.

The sweat poured from his brow
as the Jazzman spoke to the auditory senses of his audience.

Chairs rumbled beneath their energetic bodies
as his language moved their beings with each emphatic tone.

Their thoughts were transported to an imagined zone,
where images dance to the funky tribal rhythms.

As he made his descent back into reality
he pulled them to the furthermost edge of their individual thrones.

And, as he hit the final resounding note,
his awestruck admirers released their tension in a cloud of applause.