Home » Jazz Articles » Jazz Poetry » Kind of Blue
Kind of Blue
told everybody her business
by telling his
how can we make love
to the keys, the fingers that pushed out
the sweet melody
that beat the kink
right outta cicely's neck
what happened to the oiled cotton courageous
and who did she become
oddly silent
her story the darker greek we've sung
we are not supposed to forgive miles
for what he did
supposed to give away
his music to the tolerant masses
who don't mind the irony of this antihero
the sneer that looks as if
it holds a limerick
holds a lullaby instead
coaxing lovers to open
soften and croon
pearl says we should never
forgive miles
says keep him at the gates, like tantalus
begging peter forever
wishing the keys from his hands
but i think i can forgive him
forgive him like i do my daddy
a little every day
his hands didn't always hurt
didn't always push
no
mostly, they carried
soil, pipe tobacco and matches
inks from fountain pens
type for the books he'd set
old books sold with mama
brother from the hospital
tears when his father died
maybe pearl doesn't know
that love from daughters is complicated
that without forgive
there is nothing left
no memory that is not stuck to his face
a garden
a record under the hi-fi
sketches of spain,
my father had
see, if i don't forgive daddy
then i miss all of miles
all the sticky croon
the warm silver tones that give
the slow flicker of low light on water
both my daddy and miles are gone now
but they probably too cool
to hang out with each other
as i pull out old photos
of my father kneeling with eggplants
i pull another tune from the anthology that is miles
the puzzle of love these men lived
i keep them in just enough light
to keep their shape, but not their color
a kind of blue
Note: Inspired by Pearl Cleage's essay, "Mad at Miles."
About Miles Davis
Tags
PREVIOUS / NEXT
Become a Sustaining Member
Since 1995, All About Jazz has championed jazz as an art form and supported the musicians who create it. Over three decades, it has grown into one of the world's leading jazz resources, serving hundreds of thousands of readers, musicians, presenters and industry professionals each month.
Help Build the Future of All About Jazz
Your support helps us continue building All About Jazz for the next generation—expanding our editorial coverage, preserving jazz history, developing new community features and creating better ways to discover the music and the people behind it.
Become a sustaining member for as little as $20 per year and you'll immediately enjoy an ad-free experience along with access to subscriber features and future articles for a full year.
Together, we're not simply sustaining All About Jazz—we're building its future. Thank you for being part of the journey.
