Wednesday, April 7, 2021

April 7 - Billie Holiday (The Musical Birthday Series, 3rd Annual Cycle)

Previous posts for April 7th may be found here: Charles Burney (2019) and Percy Faith (2020).

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Billie Holiday (7 April 1915 – 17 July 1959) was an enormously influential American jazz and swing singer. 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elegy

There is nothing droll to say

About the life of Lady Day.

There is nothing in her story.

In the humor category.


Alcohol and drug addiction,

Professional and private friction,

And the bitter extra flak

Of navigating life while Black.


A fresh gardenia in her hair

In spite of personal despair.

Finally dying, sick and shattered,

With a voice that life had tattered.


Jazz was shaken to its core

When she died at 44.

 

 

 

If you enjoy these posts, please help me, and consider sharing.  [Also, please visit my other blog: Alternate Takes: Great Art Repurposed.] 

 

 

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