Poetry
Erren Geraud Kelly

Photo Credit: Scott Lum/Flickr (CC-by-nc)

“a riot is the voice of the unheard” —rev. dr. martin luther king, jr.

mingus’ upright bass
rumbling anarchy like a
volcano

miles’ trumpet launching rockets
at the status
quo

billie’s voice like fire,
burning the rope, freeing
strange fruit from the
poplar trees

ella scatting like a
chainsaw,
cutting against
conformity

john coltrane saying “no”
to lethargy, releasing
god
from a saxophone’s
wail

jaco pastorious
slapping hate with
machine-gun electric
bass
making cops say “please, please, please,”
like james

herbie hancock making
harmony from black
and white keys
strong as molotov
cocktails

art blakey’s drums
shattering harder than
a
cop’s nightstick

keith jarrett telling
looters
to steal happiness
through sounds

joe williams
singing a balm of
peace

Erren Geraud Kelly has had in poems published in numerous publications in print and online in the United States and around the world. Mr. Kelly is the author of the book Disturbing The Peace, available on Night Ballet Press. Erren received his B.A. in English creative writing from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. He lives in Seattle. Email: errenkelly76[at]yahoo.com