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The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.
Arya F. Jenkins reads her poem at its conclusion.
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Eric Koch for Anefo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sarah Vaughan; 1963
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Sarah Vaughan Performing
Watching Sarah Vaughan perform “Misty”
live in Sweden in ’64 must have
made some folks wonder about the failed cooling system onstage
that made her perspire so—
Patting her neck and cheeks daintily with a kerchief
she apologized first for having a cold–
audience applauded:
never mind your cold, that instrument is perfect
Confident, poised, she dabbed her forehead,
around her eyes and chin while sultrily
swooping through her four-octave range
turning her elegantly coiffed head from side to side
punctuating her vocal agility and magisterial phrasing while
establishing, here I am
There you are indeed
In her prime then
that hankie, like Satchmo’s, part of her signature
punctuated the least and best moments
teasing sometimes
Like during her intro to
“Once In A While” when she
played piano while using her
hankie like a side instrument
She could tell a story so well her
audience got lost in the grip of her
restraint, grace and power
Only to realize
afterwards it’s by
performing exquisitely inside cages that some
artists set themselves free from them.
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Listen to Arya F. Jenkins read her poem
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Arya F. Jenkins is a poet and writer whose poetry has been featured in journals such as Hawaii Pacific Review, The Indianapolis Review, Jerry Jazz Musician, The Mackinaw, OyeDrum Magazine, Sinister Wisdom and many others. Her poems have been nominated for the Pushcart, Best of the Net and other prizes. She is the author of four poetry chapbooks, a collection of short stories, Blue Songs in An Open Key (Fomite), and a novel, Punk Disco Bohemian (NineStar Press). Her website is aryafjenkins.com.
[Editors Note: Several of Arya’s short stories were written for publication on Jerry Jazz Musician, and can be accessed by clicking here]
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Watch the 1964 film of Sarah Vaughan performing Errol Garner’s composition “Misty.” (Lyrics by Johnny Burke) [The Jazz Estate]
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Click for:
More poetry on Jerry Jazz Musician
War. Remembrance. Walls. The High Price of Authoritarianism – by editor/publisher Joe Maita
“My Vertical Landscape,” Felicia A. Rivers’ winning story in the 69th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
More short fiction on Jerry Jazz Musician
Information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction
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