Happy Natal Day, Billie

Miss Billie Holiday aka
Eleanora Fagan would be
95 years old today.

Wow! Billie, "Lady Day" who
Changed the tone and sway
Of Jazz and made it her
Own. Billie, who
Colored it Blue,
And sadder than the hang of
Strange Fruit as
She sang it soul-
Deep and authentic, too.

I wonder if she were still
Here, still breathing air, fresh
Gardenia in her hair...
Would she still be
Singing dem old
Weary blues?

Would she be lost
Somewhere between
Applause... and
Those small-minded cities,
A broken heart...
And the tears
Trapped in her
Wounded croon?

Would she still be
Changin the scope
And the mood
Of a slow and smoke-filled
Jazzing room?

Or would she be
This thrillingly new and
Smiling diva
Relinquished of
Her old demons, at last?

Would she
Had married her best friend,
Prez, settled into the burbs,
And raised a slew of
Black jazz babies?

Would she have said:
'Later for fame!' and
Grew truer to the game,
Became totally Her Self, and
Finally
Heroin-free?

Ahhhhh... Ms. Billie!
What a beautiful sight
And what a glorious sound
That Jazz song
Might
Be!



Happy Born-day to you,
Our Sweet
Lady Day!


One Love.


LMR


copyright © 2010 by L.M. Ross