IVY COURT BLUES by Kristen Zory King (EP 8:20)
Poem Excerpt: "...close your eyes and listen to the Ivy Court Blues. It's a sad little tune you could find anywhere, but I swear to God you've only half a heart if you don't cry". - Kristen Zory King. See Info: Story/Lyrics.
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Story behind the song
DISCLAIMER: This poem, Ivy Court Blues, is a work
of fiction, but based sadly on universal real life events.
People, places, events, and situations are the product
of the author's imagination, but also awareness of similar
publicly known or reported stories. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, or historical events, is
purely coincidental.
ABOUT THE POET: Kristen Zory King is a native of New York
and a summa cum laude graduate of SUNY Fredonia - with a
degree in French and English Literature. She is an avid writer,
reader, feminist and supporter for The Arts; she is
also a vocal advocate for solving major national and world
problems.
Kristen Zory King's day job is Development Opertions Manager
for DC Central Kitchen (mission is to use food as a tool to
strengthen bodies, empower minds, and build communities).
Previously, she was Book Events Manager for Busboys and Poets*
(six locations in Washington D.C., Arlington, VA, and Hyattsville,
MD) with restaurants, bookstores, lounges and theaters. For
vivid examples of her multifaceted events/activities, see archived
videos from the C-Span 2 Book TV Library.
During Ms. King's rapidly rising career, she has had other
significant writing and management positions. She has
been Development and Membership Manager at The Writers
Center in Bethesda, MD; other past professional experience
included work with literary institutions such as Writers and
Books in Rochester, NY, The Writers Block in Las Vegas, NV,
and the Beloit Poetry Journal in Portland, ME. Some of her
other poetry and writings can be found in The Inn House Review,
Cactus Heart Press, Poetry Breakfast, The Trident, Lipstick
Party Magazine and other on-going publication.
*****In 2017, Kristen Zory King founded MoonLit which is an
artist-led organization that creatively connects community
through accessible and engaging literary programs in DC,
Maryland and Virginia. To learn more, visit moonlitdc.com.
WIND CHIMES PHOTO AND SOUND EFFECT CREDITS: The
Representative Photo for Ivy Court Blues is from Google
Images depicting an old blue wine bottle modified into a
wind chime. This unique wind chime (and similar
items) can be purchased from Pinterest.com. And the
Representative Sound Effect of wind chimes for Ivy
Court Blues is from a Youtube video uploaded public
domain.
IVY COURT BLUES POEM READER: Dr. Robert S.
Morrissey, aka: Dr. Bob
*FOOTNOTE FOR THE LITERARY CURIOUS:
The name Busboys and Poets refers to American
poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy
at the Wardman Park Hotel (Washington, D.C.)
in the 1920s, prior to gaining recognition as a poet.
Lyrics
Lyrics
IVY COURT BLUES by Kristen Zory King
On certain nights in August (when the air is so hot
that your mind is dizzy and drunk) close your eyes and
listen to the Ivy Court Blues. It's a sad little tune you
could find anywhere, but I swear to God you've only
half a heart if you don't cry.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues
On certain nights in August (when the moon's so bright
even mama's morning glories can't fall asleep) close your
eyes and listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
Hear the soft cries of the woman upstairs and the thump,
thump thump of her husband's drumming fist. Listen
to her tears, tinkling like chimes in the wind, and try not to nod
your head to the awful rhythm of his hard, pounding grunts.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
On certain nights in August (when your skin is as dry as the
crumbling sand off the Susquehanna River) close your eyes and
listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
Hear the heavy sighs of the widow one room down, her dark
moans weaving through the night, haunting the dreams of
those still naive with warm beer, rock-n-roll.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
On certain nights in August (when the sky is so dark you could
tip your chin back and drink it up) close your eyes and listen to
the Ivy Court Blues.
Hear the blood fall from the knuckles of the brothers next door, their
throat song sharp like a trumpet's horn. Listen to that brassy
chorus, angry at the stage three cancer that stole away their
mother and let their father drown in gin.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
On certain nights in August (when the air is so hot
that your mind is dizzy and drunk) close your eyes and
listen to the Ivy Court Blues. It's a sad little tune you
could find anywhere, but I swear to God you've only
half a heart if you don't cry.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues.
Listen to the Ivy Court Blues...
*****NOTE: For poetic effect of verse and music , the first
stanza of the original poem was repeated as an ending stanza.
Also, for similar reason, additional repetition of the line, "Listen
to the Ivy Court Blues", was added at the poem/song
ending*****
Hi Dr. Bob. A very interesting way to interpret a poem. Alternating between narration and those slow, melancholy, beautiful jazz interludes, this piece generates a dense mood of despair luring behind the closed doors in a hot, dusty environment. Really grabs you and makes you listen all the way.