An avant-garde bass
did Charles Mingus play
a tale of cultural change
black cats with muslim names
on a legend-littered stage
Sugnim skin, a nebulous shade
forced out of your apartment
and thrown in a New York jail
the black cat and the sinner lady
try to raise the bail
the black cat and the sinner lady
fail to raise the bail
yes! the artist – a queer bird
wasted night after night
chasing the muse
basement blues where
first class musicians
pay their dues
and the acoustic ladies
shimmer and chant on
seventh avenue
Broadway alight
and jazz is all the rage
but success came too late
for this old sage
goodnight Mr Mingus
goodnight
© Tony Myers 2010
