Here’s an old clinker from my open mike days, a fan-favorite often requested from the regulars…

Night Jazz

by Ray Van Horn, Jr.

the moldy fig wakes at dusk,

falls in and latches on

steppin’ out in its sable zoot suit

swishing its fly, starry plume

atop its inky conk

scatting to the clambake of

the wolf’s gutbucket trumpet

the coyote’s sly sax

the thrumming bass of the bullfrog

and the beaver’s mod skins

snapping its jazzy onyx fingers to the four beat

with a cool, crazy bop

don’t bring me down, cats

the caliginous hipster croons

blow those blue notes proper

peel me off some hot licks…smooth…

watch that clinker, daddy-o, dig?

none of that Mickey Mouse cornball drag

kill me right into the dawn, baby

yeah, that’s wild, Jack

sharp, baby, sharp

out of this world

I’m gone, man…real gone