November 11 - Ernestine Anderson (The Musical Birthday Series)

Ernestine Anderson (November 11, 1928 – March 10, 2016) had a long career as a jazz singer in some of the most prestigious venues in the field.

A double dactyl is a biographically inspired humorous poem with very strict structural rules.   

Here are links to two definitions for those who are curious.  The first from the  
Poetry Foundation is clearer but less accurate than the second, from Wikipedia.  Take 
your pick.  The classic statement is the book Jiggery-Pokery:  A Compendium of 
Double Dactyls by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander (New York, 1967).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Double Dactyl for E. A. 

 

[Ernestine Anderson, when she was compared with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and 

Billie Holiday] "I wish they would let me be just me." [Time magazine, 1958]

 

Higgledy-piggledy

Ernestine Anderson,

Singer of jazz with the

Best of the best,

Said “If the critics show

Impartiality,

Then I’ll let history

Care for the rest.

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