The Sunday Poem: “Dizzy in Greece” by George Kalamaras

July 4th, 2026

The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.

George Kalamaras reads his poem at its conclusion.

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1957 Verve album, Dizzy in Greece

Dizzy in Greece

The band reached its peak, musically and diplomatically, in Athens where it out-rocked the rock throwing Greek students.
—Marshall W. Stearns

So I’m listening to Diz tonight, ………………….the aftermath
of the May riots. …………The “Cyprus Question,” of course,
…………Greeks feeling the U.S. ………………should help take
back Cyprus from the British. …………………………Diz blowing
…………bread right out of heaven …………up on stage, somehow
calming the news …………that asked why Americans were sending
……………………jazz bands ………………………….not guns.

…………These jazz ambassadors:
……………………Dhaka. Abadan. Ankara. And now
………………………………………………………………………………………..Athens.
All just a few months …………before I was ….born.
This music floating ….into me,….…. …..before I was,
………………………………………………….slicing my ………insides my
……………………………………………………………………………….mind.
Benny Golson. Wynton Kelly. ……………………….And the great
……………………….Lee Morgan before the shot at Slug’s
took his heart. ……………And I’m wide open asking
…………why………………………of this ………………………and so much more.

The world has ………………………always ……………….wanted
to dance…………….the beautiful dance, ………………………even
as Mother Kali steps death …………….into and ………..out
…………………………………………………….of our chest. Her necklace
………………………of skulls
…………enough to terrorize even these …………………….tunes.

But they are bold ……these cats from the U.S., ……Diz
………………………himself from Cheraw, South Carolina.
And their music
…………tilts the mood. I imagine cheers …………and applause
in Dhaka. Abadan. In Ankara. …………And yes, ……………………Athens.

The world keeps asking, ……………………begging,
…………………………………………..why. And somehow
…………I know the glow of OM, even
in a trumpet solo ……………………calming the crowd
……………………………………………………..calming the ground
…………………………………….each of us walks, saying
Yes, it might all one day be ……….enough.

There are guns and bombs in this ……….dizzying ……….world
……………………………………………………………………………………………….heat.
…………And there are clef notes ………. ……….coming with healing
……………………………………………………………………………………………….salve.
…………Each clef calibrating …………………….the staff.
…………Clef notes and vast
……………………improvisations ………………………………assuring us
………………………………that the loudness
……………………of now does not always have to mean
…………………………………………………death but can weave
………………………………………………………………..sweet peace
……………………………………………………………………………….notes
…………like floating bricks ….pointing a way.
………………………A way in ………………………………and out
………………………………….at once ……………………..revealing not just
………………………………………………a place of pain,
…………but a steady bass note …………where together
………………………………………………hurt ……………………….and healing
drive the beat ………..drive / drive / drive ………the beat
………………………………………………………………and thrive.

Listen to George Kalamaras read his poem

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photo by Jim Whitcraft

George Kalamaras is former Poet Laureate of Indiana (2014– 2016) and Professor Emeritus at Purdue University Fort Wayne, where he taught for thirty-two years. He has published twenty-seven collections of poetry, eighteen full-length books and nine chapbooks. He recently won the 2024 Indiana Book Award for his book To Sleep in the Horse’s Belly: My Greek Poets and the Aegean Inside Me, a 300-page chronicle of George’s Greek ancestry—literary, artistic, and familial (Dos Madres Press, 2023).

Listen to the 1957 recording of trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie performing his composition “Groovin’ High,” including Lee Morgan (trumpet); Billy Root (baritone saxophone); Ernie Henry (alto saxophone); Benny Golson (tenor saxophone); Al Grey and Melba Liston (trombone); Wynton Kelly (piano); Paul West (bass); and Charlie Persip (drums).