Poem: Buddy Bolden

was the first person

to play jazz.

A poor man, from

a poor home,

he poured his

soul through

his trumpet’s tip;

went mad on

drink

and women;

turned down the

chance to be the

first jazz musician

recorded

turned up at a

home for the mentally

ill, perhaps his

spirit is living there

still…  It is certainly

not present in the

only surviving

photograph of him.

he stares out proud,

v…