A Poem For Rome Neal (Banana Puddin Jazz)

A Poem For Rome Neal

Did the banana fritters satisfy your craving

Did your taste buds sing in jazz strings

and dance like trombone vocals

did your heart beat to the rhythms of puddin'

banana puddin', that is...

a sweet tooth for poetry in motion

a black history moment after moment

did the wafers melt into sugared suds on your lips

a New York City trip

Nuyorican Poets Café

vanilla, chocolate, caramel latte kind of day

Amiri Baraka mixed with The Last Poets

Gil Scott Heron base

Rome Neal on a Monday

did the cremes cream of brown sugar

cinnamon and vanilla extract

cool you down from a slow cooking movement of Jamaican oxtails

a Malcolm X Day Celebration with the elders and new generations

a crown royal on ice of copper skinned folks

gathering together for a supreme

of a special treat

did the puddin' make love to your soul

it is the reason why they call it soul food

rattle your bones so you can stomp your feet

and slow grind with the nod of your head

a grown and sexy piece

filled with black people peace

and freedom

did you want another piece

me too...

(c) Jenavia Powell 2024 Dashiki Mentality