CONTEMPORARY BLUES POEMS

(These are poems with a blues character, or written in blues form, or simply about the blues.)

Master Charge Blues (Sonia Sanchez)

Bad Mother Blues

When you were arrested, child, and I had to take your pocketknife
When you were arrested child, and I had to take your pocketknife
It had blood on it from where you'd tried to take your life.

It was the night before Thanksgiving, all the family coming over.
The night before Thanksgiving, all the family coming over.
We had to hide your porno magazine and put your handcuffs undercover.

Each naked man looked at you, say, Baby who do you think you are
Each man looked straight down on you, like a waiting astronomer's star
Solely, disgustedly, each wagged his luster

I've decided to throw horror down the well and wish on it
Decided I'll throw horror down the well and wish on it
And up from the water will shine my sweet girl in her baby bonnet

A thief will blind you with his flashlight
                                      but a daughter be your bouquet
A thief will blind you with his flashlight
                                      but a daughter be your bouquet
When the thief's your daughter you turn your eyes the other way

I'm going into the sunflower field where all of them are facing me
I'm going into the sunflower field so all of them are facing me
Going to go behind the sunflowers, feel all the sun that I can't see

Blues (Joseph Brodsky)

Eighteen years I've spent in Manhattan.
The landlord was good, but he turned bad.
A scumbag, actually. Man, I hate him.
Money is green, but it flows like blood.

I guess I've got to move across the river.
New Jersey beckons with its sulphur glow.
Say, numbered years are a lesser evil.
Money is green, but it doesn't grow.

I'll take away my furniture, my old sofa.
But what could I do with my windows' view?
I feel like I've been married to it, or something.
Money is green, but it makes you blue.

A body on the whole knows where it's going.
I guess it's one's soul that makes one pray,
even though above it's just a Boeing.
Money is green, and I am gray.

Special Pain Blues (Raymond Patterson)

Anybody can shout and holler,
It takes a special pain to sing the blues.
I say anybody can shout and holler,
But a special pain brings the blues.
It ain't about losing your last dollar
Or having holes in both your shoes.

Children cry when they lose they candy.
Babies cry when they wet theyselves.
Young folks cry anytime it's handy.
Blues comes up from deeper wells.

Takes a natural woman
To draw that muddy water up.
Takes a natural man
To cart that bucket home
And let you drink from the broken cup
And ease the thirst that's in your bone.
(Thirsty to the bone!)

Sometimes the blues so cold
It cracks the jar it's in.
Sometimes it's scalding hot
And burns right through the skin.
Stand it up beside Ma Rainey
If you want the test.
Anything less that folks try to sing
Ain't the real thing.

Two Blues (Donald Justice)

1. The Sometime Dancer Blues

When the lights go on uptown,
Why do you feel so low, honey,
Why do you feel so low-down?

When the piano and the trombone start,
Why do you feel so blue, honey,
Like a rubber glove had reached in for your heart?

Oh, when the dancers take the floor,
Why don't you step out with them, honey,
Why won't you step out with them any more?

The stars are gone and the night is dark,
Except for the radium, honey,
That glows on the hands of the bedside clock.

The little hands that go around and around,
Oh, as silently as time, honey,
Without a sound, without a sound.

2. Angel Death Blues

A dark time is coming, and the gypsy knows what else.
Fly away, O angel death.

It looks like a raven sitting on the wire.
It looks like a raven sitting on the telephone wire.
Oh, it is some high flyer!

Look out now, it's got loose in the yard.
Look out, look out, it's loose in the back yard.
Oh, no, don't you look at me, big bird.

If you are lost, I can't help.
If you are lost, I can't help.
I am a stranger in this place myself.

Fly away, fly away,
Fly away, O angel death.

And shine down, moonlight, make those long feathers shine.
I want to keep track of where it's going.
[Spoken] Shine down, moonlight.

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