Look: I am eager to learn stuff I don't know--which requires actively courting and posting smart disagreement.

But as you will understand, I don't like to post things that mischaracterize and are aimed to mislead.

-- Brad Delong

Copyright Notice

Everything that appears on this blog is the copyrighted property of somebody. Often, but not always, that somebody is me. For things that are not mine, I either have obtained permission, or claim fair use. Feel free to quote me, but attribute, please. My photos and poetry are dear to my heart, and may not be used without permission. Ditto, my other intellectual property, such as charts and graphs. I'm probably willing to share. Let's talk. Violators will be damned for all eternity to the circle of hell populated by Rosanne Barr, Mrs Miller [look her up], and trombonists who are unable play in tune. You cannot possibly imagine the agony. If you have a question, email me: jazzbumpa@gmail.com. I'll answer when I feel like it. Cheers!

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Wednesday Poetry Blogging

Starting today, and running through October will be a series of sonnets - today's merely odd, the remainder oddly demented.

This one is based on a real life experience. The others are not.


FIFTH DAY DOWN

For four straight days I've been flat on my back.
Prospects for tomorrow -- not too bright.
But first I have to face another night
Of nose-runs, insomnia, and cough attack.

Day two they put a needle in my hip,
Pumped in some paste, a substance that is not
The amber liquid I would call a shot:
That lovely Malt, imported in green glass.

When morning comes I'll rise to face tomorrow,
Without a Scottish gift to ease my sorrow,
And if some comely lass of nursely station
Approaches from behind with medication

I'll demurr, and if you get my drift,
If she insists, then I will plead the fifth.

-- Jan. 28, 1999, 11:00 pm

Copyright Jazzbumpa. All rights reserved

4 comments:

PJB-Chicago said...

Very brave of you to craft a sonnet; your musicality and sense of rhythm show through your words.

"You did good" as my Dad used to say. Looking forward to your next opus!

BTW, you are truly very funny (sonnet aside). If you ever want to wade into writing humor or get a yen to try a little stand-up comedy, I'd be game to walk you through the paces long distance via email, phone, or whatever. Have had several colleagues/friends give it a go and nearly all of them have kept at it. Dare I say some of 'em have gotten very good at it, and the only credit I take is getting them to take that first shaky step.

BTW, the Rachmaninoff you linked to kept me glued to u-tube for a good half hour. Am dyslexic with numbers and musical notation--not with letters, as much--so my piano teachers kept suggesting I try "another instrument"! Never stopped me from giving it my best shot, and have played in a couple dive bars, sober as a judge, along with a group of equally untalented but enthusiastic musicians. I once got an "award" for, a local paper, as "the worst piano player that we still love to watch"..
Proud of that, here, sorta kind of.
Be well. See you at xw corner.

Jazzbumpa said...

PJB -

You are too kind. And your offer is very generous. You might think a retired guy has lots of time on his hands and might be able take up a new avocation, but actually, my days are pretty full.

I have a lot of musical things going on, and that uses up most of my creativity, and a lot of my energy. My humor (such as it is) that you see at the Corner is what spouts more or less spontaneously from the recesses of my fevered brain. Some things you can't turn off.

But - seriously - thank you for your offer. If I'm ever in Chicago, I'll buy you a sarsaparilla!

Speaking of courage - playing in dive bars . . . in Chicago . . . now THAT takes some cojones!

Cheers!
JzB the occasionally funny trombonist

PJB-Chicago said...

JazzB:
You are so right, that spontaneous humor is the best kind. Chicago is very much a divided city: northside vs. Southside, Cubs vs. Sox fans, white vs. African Americans, deep dish lovers vs. thin crust people, beer drinkers versus wine snobs, Irish vs. Poles, the list goes on. And on.
Closer to my world, it's stand up folks vs. improv people. We think improv is lazy, they supposedly think we're uninspired and slow!

The funniest things people say in real life
seem to come out when they're not trying to be funny. The first "funny" thing I'm told I said was as a 4 or 5 year old. Someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up. I was honest and uninformed, and replied that I wanted to be a nun. Everyone roared. I of course had no idea that this was a bad career choice.
Hardest part of stand up is looking & sounding like you JUST came up with your line, on the spot. Takes practice to sound unrehearsed...sometimes there's magic and you do improvise or polish up a line or two and it really works. Still, I'm glad it's just a hobby, because doing comedy full time is for young people who
are willing and able to work non-stop, and for very little dough. Even some of the SNL writers have second jobs to pay the rent. Or they marry someone rich...

Final note: thanks for the links to music and other blogs. Good stuff. Keep it up.
See you at the xw Corner.
/pjb

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