Until the Silence

Enjoy a sampling from the book with this poem

Preamble

In the sizzling 1960s, iconic jazz saxophonist, composer and educator Charles McPherson spent more than a decade in my uncle Charles Mingus, Jr’s band. McPherson recalled a time when Mingus, a fan of beat poet Kenneth Patchen gave a San Francisco benefit concert for the wheelchair-bound poiet. The following poem’s title was promoted by a Patchen poem.

Be Music Night

Be music night

Sing twinkles stars

Trill streams of light

Arpeggios of dreams

Choruses of moonbeams

Let harmonies flow

That sound touches hearts

Lifts faltering spirits

To tomorrow's promise.