“Summer Wind” – a poem (for July) by Jerrice J. Baptiste

July 1st, 2025

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Jerrice J. Baptiste’s 12-month 2025 calendar of jazz poetry winds through the year with her poetic grace while inviting us to wander through music by the likes of Charlie Parker, Hoagy Carmichael, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Sarah Vaughan,  Melody Gardot and Nina Simone. She welcomes July with a poem that conjurs up the great Frank Sinatra tune…

 

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July, 2025

“Summer Wind”

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photo via freerangestock.com

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Summer Wind

He smells residue of wind on wet skin
her long fingers caress his chin
she lives in the summer wind.

Sailboats glide easily on water.
They run to the edge to look closer.
He’s laughing, feet coated with sand.
He kisses her long flamingo neck
in the summer wind.

Seasons change to Autumn and Winter
He craves to stroke her flowing hair
but she’s not there.

She disappeared like a kite in summer’s glare.
His eyelids close feeling an ocean raging.
Did he matter as much to her as the summer wind?

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Listen to Jerrice J. Baptiste read her poem

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Listen to the 1966 recording of Frank Sinatra performing the German composers Heinz Meier and Hans Bradtke tune “Summer Wind,” (rewritten into English by Johnny Mercer)  [Universal Music Group]

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Readers can click to the next month at the conclusion of each poem.  You can also go to each month by clicking on the link to the months here:

Jan/Feb/Mar/Apr/May/Jun/Jul/Aug/Sep/Oct/Nov/Dec/Intro

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Jerrice  J. Baptiste  is a poet and author of nine books, Her most recent poetry book  Coral in The Diaspora  is published by Abode Press (August 2024). She’s been nominated twice for a Pushcart Prize (2024 & 2025), and Best of the Net in 2022.   Jerrice‘s poems and collaborative songwriting are featured on the Grammy nominated album Many Hands Family Music for Haiti.

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Click for:

The Sunday Poem

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

More short fiction on Jerry Jazz Musician

Information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction

Subscribe to the (free) Jerry Jazz Musician quarterly newsletter

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