Charted and Improvised: A Poem by Indigo Bethea

(Photo from the RezaRitesRi.com photo archives. Captured is Sonny Andrews of the reggae band, The Zioniers.)

Charted and Improvised
by Indigo Bethea

I want you to listen to my music,
I’m playin my finest for you.

Listen to the rise, fall, flow of my heart as I double this,
Quarter that and give, give, give

Nothing less than rhapsody
Nothing less than reverie
And speed, baby speed.

Changing tempo right, here

Suddenly a modulation

Then a change of key

Starting slow, ending low
But in between, oh, in between

That’s where we play

Patterns that climax and sigh
Harmonies that blush in surprise
At being so bold.

Daring you, lost soul, to find your way back to me.

Follow the bread crumbs of a Mile’s Kind of Blue
Bend at that curve of Coltrane for Lovers

A path lit by jazz notes, charted and improvised.

Nothin less than rhapsody
Nothin less than reverie and…
Speed, Baby, Speed

This give, give, give bartering your take, take, take
All in the syncopated rhythm we call…life

In between those silhouettes of sound
I want you to hear my calls for you
Trombone wailing on high winds
Bass throbbing on the lowness of night

Music sheets, bedroom sheets
Maybe it’s a different space
But it’s all the same pace, all the rhythm

Hear this trumpet sultry and wide
Tremble with this treble from a generous saxophone

Cause it’s all jazz baby, it’s all love Papa
Whatever the sheets, we’ll call it heaven

Charted and improvised

Just stay in that in between, a little longer let’s just play
The best of you meeting the best in me
All in the exchange of the give, give, take.

Whatever the sound
No matter the space
We’ll know it’s heaven Papa,

Charted and improvised.

***

To read more by Indigo Bethea, click here. To read her bio, click here.
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