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

Mary K O’Melveny reads her poem at its conclusion.

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photo by Kelly Ritta/via Pexels

 

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Seasonal Rain Reveries

1.

Rain has been falling
for days.. It is hard
not to be saddened by it all
not to drown in metaphor

But listen to Bill Evans
as he plays Peace Piece
repeating notes .. rise .. fall
a trill.. a note climbs.. spills

pitter patter .. plink .. plink .. plink
my mood was dark
the water rushed downward
as window panes flushed

plink .. plink .. plink .. pitter patter
hushed tones .. delicate airy
patterns cascade .. call me
to hope’s upper ranges

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2.

It’s still raining
In early morning’s brindled
light each patch of leaf-strewn
ground shines like citrus sherbert

this muted mush of colors
slides toward dark pines
that parallel our creek
bordered by flame-red spirea

It is hard not to be wowed
by nature’s artistry, resplendent
as a beloved grandmother’s
velvet patchwork quilt

As the world slip-slides further into
emergency territory I plan to run
outside .. embrace each drop
like a summer beach shower.

It is steady, after all. Rhythmic as a
Jack DeJohnette drum solo. Soothing
as Chet Baker’s  Here’s That Rainy Day.
These late fall blues will slide away

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3.

Now it’s a visitation
The Hyades nymphs
spewing water everywhere

no creek too small to swell
no field too flush to flood
no bridge too sturdy to fail

So many storms with female
names – Melissa .. Maria .. Diane
Katrina .. Hazel .. Camille

Studies find them more deadly
than storms named for men
(The only place that’s true)

It’s time for Terence Blanchard’s
Requiem .. There is no place
to hide from the wrath

might as well welcome it
stand at its altar .. bow to its force
pray for its healing powers

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4.

Bill Frisell’s  Rain Rain
provides fluid comfort
for the rain-sogged water-logged

for the rain-bedraggled
the rain averse .. His guitar
haunts .. hovers .. shivers

each song like haiku
brief .. graceful .. wise
rhythmic echoes of echoes

He also plays A Hard Rain’s
Gonna Fall .. but it’s gentle
We want to be washed clean

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Listen to Mary K O’Melveny read her poem

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Mary K O’Melveny, retired labor rights lawyer, lives with her wife near Woodstock, NY. Mary became a fan of Jazz as a very young girl listening to Louis Armstrong and Lester Young on her grandparents’ Victrola record player. Mary’s award-nominated poetry appears in many print and on-line literary journals, anthologies and national blog sites. Mary has authored three poetry collections. Her just-released fourth book, Flight Patterns, is available by clicking here

Click here to read If You Want to Go to Heaven, Follow a Songbird – Mary K O’Melveny’s album of poetry and music, published by Jerry Jazz Musician

Click here to visit her web site

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Listen to the 1999 recording of guitarist Bill Frisell performing his composition “Rain, Rain” [Nonesuch]

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Click the link to listen to these other songs from the poem:

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Peace Piece (Bill Evans)

Here’s That Rainy Day  (Chet Baker)

Levee  (from Terence Blanchard’s Requiem album)

Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall  (Bill Frisell)

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Click for:

A Letter From the Editor: On “The Weary Blues: Celebrating Langston Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance”

Information about the book Kinds of Cool: An Interactive Collection of Jazz Poetry, Vol. II (featuring women poets)

The Sunday Poem Archive

“21 jazz poems on the 21st” collections

More poetry on Jerry Jazz Musician

“Where the Music Wasn’t Allowed,” Jane McCarthy’s winning story in the 71st 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

Helping to support the ongoing publication of Jerry Jazz Musician, and to keep it commercial-free (thank you!)

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Jerry Jazz Musician…human produced since 1999

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