Welcome to Buck Downs (and congratulations to our Pushcart Prize nominees)!

Tonight I'm very happy to post the work of someone who is not only new to The Song Is... but is also from the DC area (or the DMV, as we say now)...Buck Downs.  Moreover, he has entered his poem into the non-driving contest.

as one who went on foot
to the motorcycle rally

somewhere between falling apart
and being put together again

shadow formation

reparations for the last run
preparations for the next one

some people like to play with depression
others love being attacked

they were like weren’t you
wearing a helmet

I was like you understand
I broke my leg

they said didn’t you
use protection

I said you get that’s not my kid --

it ain’t no sense
talking about

my life --

I am tempted to include another image of a motorcycle rally.  It appears to be somewhere in the UK or Ireland.

Photograph by Mike Hope (Sunbeam Owners Fellowship)

Back at the end of November, during the most hectic part of a hectic fall semester, I submitted nominees for the Pushcart Prizes.  It's taken me this long to congratulate you, but tonight is a good night.

I am listing the nominees in chronological order:

Bill Cushing -- "'Music isn't about standing still and being safe'"

Bryn Fortey -- "No Valentines for the James Dean of Jazz"

Mike Bayles -- "A Day Cast in Gray/A Hard Day’s Night Playing in my Mind"

Yoby Henthorn -- "Cerebus"

Bola Ade -- "Hotep sh*t"

Claudine Nash -- "That True Voice"

I also want to include the honorable mentions as well: Tad Richards -- "In a Dream She Sees Lester Young Standing Naked" and "She Took Off Her Dress"; Michael Lee Johnson -- "Little Desert Flower" and "Alberta Bound"; and Amber Smithers' "Bulimia Poem."  

Thank you, everyone, for your contributions!  

Now for the music....

I have posted so many pieces by Miles Davis.  Tonight I'll post "Nefertiti":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtQLolwNByw

Here is his "Filles de Kilimanjaro": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noUs3NfC07o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulf9-7BI3aw

For Chet Baker, I'll include a 1959 recording of "My Funny Valentine":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SGAcP7Zh6U

This is his version of "Autumn Leaves": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgn7VfXH2GY

I'll finish with some Lester Young.  First is his version of "Our Love is Here to Stay" with Teddy Wilson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWoGC0SFWzo 

Next is "I Didn't Know What Time It Was," a very appropriate title tonight!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYtTzZusJkg

Back to my papers!