My Guru Joined a Jazz Ensemble
My teacher popped
out of his body
— he’s gone.
Turned into a gold wedding band
thrown
overboard.
As you might imagine
talking to him is
problematic
Some call him dead – caput.
But he’s just filling space
between gravestones.
My guru, shaman & sage.
I hear his jazz
& see he joined a quartet!
He can’t give instructions
but in the rushing wind
I hear him improvise wildly
Rattle of reeds
Swack of drum stick
Swirl of sagebrush
He doesn’t have students,
no devotees. Unencumbered,
he’s having a great time.
18 thoughts on "My Guru Joined a Jazz Ensemble "
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perfect landing! (and great white – once bitten, twice shy)
I mean grate write
“He’s just filling space/between gravestones” — is some inspired writing. This is such a joyful poem. Love it.
This is so lovely!
“He doesn’t have students,
no devotees. Unencumbered,
he’s having a great time.”
Fabulous! What a great poem!
What a wild ride of a poem. My favorite line: “…he’s just filling space/between gravestones.”
Linda, I’ve so enjoyed your poems this month! Take care.
Your poem is making me want to quit teaching and join a jazz ensemble or the circus
Shew to “But he’s just filling space/between gravestones.” and the music in:
“Rattle of reeds
Swack of drum stick
Swirl of sagebrush”
This piece has a jazz to it too that I love.
I really, really like this poem. The space between gravestones and especially the first bit
My teacher popped
out of his body
— he’s gone.
brought me running
Love the jazz form and feel, Linda! Musicality flows when reading this piece out loud, so wild and free.
“He can’t give instructions
but in the rushing wind
I hear him improvise wildly”
Yes, I feel it (and hear it, too). Thanks for sharing
Marvelous, Linda! Nature as a jazz band, and I detect a pinch a dark humor, which I believe your guru would smile at just as much as I did. If ‘s a whimsical poem. I loved it.
Love: “Turned into a gold wedding band/ thrown/overboard.
and. “he’s just filling space/between gravestones.”
“Rattle of reeds
Swack of drum stick
Swirl of sagebrush”
Yep, can hear the music!
I love how you took a serious subject (loss) and transformed it into such a creative and joyful reality. “Rattle of reads, Swack of drum stick, Swirl of sagebrush” is a perfect ending.
First, that title kicks hard. It catapulted me into this this marvelous poem.
Between the gravestones!
Unencumbered, he’s having a great time.
This poem is masterful. Thank you for shating it.
All the best gurus are jazz! This is so full of joy.
Agree with the above.
I’d be so interested to hear how you wrote this…did it emerge like jazz, improvised and building on the last phrase?
Sometimes gurus just gotta jam! Love this!
“Popped out of his body.” WOW!
That’s original. Totally surprising. Love it.