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photo of Miles Davys by User:JPRoche, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons/adapted by Rhonda R. Dorsett
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Thinking of Mr. Davis on the Fourth of July
America when will you be angelic?
Allen Ginsberg
It was Miles who taught me
that so what was a declaration
of independence from your mind
when it seduces you
to wish you were like everyone else,
convincing you to smile,
to please, to play
what they like,
and forget how besieged
we are with lies
that pass for good music.
No one said
an angel must
take the high road
if we end up in hell.
No one said it would be easy
to be remembered.
So what, if glory
cost you your soul.
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Listen to Juan Mobili read his poem
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Juan Pablo Mobili was born in Buenos Aires, and adopted by New York. His poems appeared in Tupelo Quarterly, Hanging Loose Magazine, Louisville Review and The Worcester Review, among others, as well as publications in Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Australia. He’s a recipient of multiple Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominations, and an Honorable Mention from the International Human Rights Art Festival,. His chapbook, Contraband, was published in 2022 and, in January of 2025, he was appointed Poet Laureate of Rockland County, New York.
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Listen to the 1964 live recording of Miles Davis performing “So What,” a composition attributed to him and originally appearing on his 1959 album Kind of Blue. This version features George Coleman (tenor saxophone); Herbie Hancock (piano); Ron Carter (bass); Tony Williams (drums) [Columbia/Legacy]
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Information about Kinds of Cool: An Interactive Collection of Jazz Poetry
More poetry on Jerry Jazz Musician
“Saharan Blues on the Seine,” Aishatu Ado’s winning story in the 68th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
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