In his fingers a burning pressed hard to the surface. His thoughts smoldered heavy in thick smoke circling about him, then burst like spattering grease into dangerous thirsty flames. His sharp cut pork pie hat danced in circles like planets spinning out of control. Blue dark sunglasses reflected the crowd while hiding … More FAT IN THE JAZZ
The music of her is a ribbon untied and streams of silk break free like summer stars on the foreheads of angels as I feel the thick of myself, as if running under water becoming trapped in the listening of the jazz like the first time it blanketed me with a rocking upside down … More THE UPSIDE OF RELEASE
There is a thirst in my fire. A cloud heavy with wet, ready to release a river. In my head a muscle pushes rocks, forcing rivers to overflow, changing the course of brown gravel into the sounds of me. I am a prisoner of music. The maker of jazz and the roll of … More THAT JAZZ THING
He begged the horn to breathe strong for him, to tell a story of pain in love, and love with pain His fingers danced on flat pearl keys spinning jazzy notes like the earth rolling through space. Pure gold sounds flowed richly as he taught the notes to fly into welcome air. … More INSIDE THE HORN
That black 33 1/3 circled the life of song spinning it out in round of rounds dark shiny onyx like Alabama nights pushed a sound of scratch and horns and bass with drums forming a jumpy beat as the man on ivories jams the air choking out a new sound … More CLEOPATRA’S OIL
Walk to me the songs crawling silently like cats at night stalking the dark with eyes piercing deep into me. Tie my thoughts with the strings of a righteous bass preaching sternly to my ears the message of jazz. Help me snap my fingers free like running legs of children against the wind, never … More TEACH ME THE JAZZ
River edge at the yawning of the delta, I hear cottonwoods rattle voices like people, low by campfires scraping washboards and snapping strings; soft footed fast picking thieves run with shadows. Beating drums stretch the skin of messages released under wide blue free skies of music calling. Red dusty roads rise up stormy jazzy … More DELTA JAZZ
The pain of his soul welled up thick in his eyes, spilling into glistening lines onto his black cheeks. Piano keys drowned under his fingers while his feet lifted then dropped onto pedals shiny and smooth. His face tilted to the throne of heaven as shoulders swayed with the walk of jazz, speaking … More LISTENING TO ANGELS
The words from her mouth found wings in waiting air, tumbling with roll into the need of those listening. A twisting sound curved over and smoothed the faces intent with believing, as their arms reached for her gift. Lights paled in the strength she owned, as she pressed out brightly from where she … More HER GIFT OF WORDS
KEROUAC’S ROOM A brown box radio plays scratchy songs into a room where outside neon lights breathe a fuzzy hum of blue and red through weathered curtains as the river far below rumbles deep past the town covered in soot as he groans out a snappy beat on a pawn shop … More KEROUAC’S ROOM
Roger Singer 