A Night in Tunisia

on the streets of Tunisia

lie amon’

the fracas

n'

ruckus

is a jazz big band,

rumblin’,

bumpin’,

and screamin’,

a quintet rollin' past stone

down mosaic stairs,

as if they were the rollin'

timbre of a snare,

sizzlin' n' sputterin'

crashin' symbols rainin'

ratta-tatt-tatt-tap they come

bebop-bop-rebop-bop he blares

thump-thump-th'mp his fingers pang

for his sax sang the weeping soul

from the streets—

in the squares—

to soothe these poor spirits night

brought a jazz big band tonight

did those men play,

conjurin’

the souls of their forefathers

in jubilation

that filled their chests

with liberté!