PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

I have already written numerous reviews on the City Lights Pocket Poet series. This is a series of small poetry volumes published by City Lights Books in San Francisco. This publishing company started 50 years ago with a strong emphasis on Beat literature. It has long since evolved into a vital outlet for avant gard and politically extreme writing. 

A more most recent entry in the Pocket Poet Series is The language of Saxophones by Kamau Daaood. This book continues City Lights commitment to publishing diverse and passionate poetry from diverse backgrounds. Daaood is a jazz poet from Los Angeles noted for his strong spoken word performances. He performs solo and also collaborates with other artists and poets. This volume includes selections from his career. 

Daaood's poetry has always been strongly influenced by jazz. Numerous poems in this book are dedicated to jazz giants. He includes tributes to John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Billie Holliday and Rahsaan Roland Kirk among others. He also writes tributes for Beat poet Bob Kaufmann and Paul Robeson. He uses poetry to create a kind of word jazz. 

The Language of Saxophones is a poem from December of 2004. In this poem, Daaood uses the notion of prana moving through time signatures/bop blown through a wormhole/aimed at the earlobe of God to begin the poem. Prana is the breath of life or vital force in life. Daaood is liking the creation of music and poetry to reaching toward God. This showcases his grasp on the spiritual power of both music and jazz. 

Religion of Dreams is dedicated to Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Daaood marvels at Kirk's ability to overcome blindness and create so much light through his music. Daaood is comfortable with the prospect of jazz being a largely spiritual music form and his poetry makes the case very well. There is a spiritual strain as he uses Kirk's blindness to spark the notion of darkness unto light: 

The blind man walks and talks/in his sleep/and acts from the substance/of dreams/out of the blackness came light. 

Liberator of the Spirit is a tribute to John Coltrane.. In this poem Daaood notes how Trane was able to break down boundaries and push the music further and deeper than those who came before him. Trane was a brilliant musician whose life was cut short. This is a nine page poem that seems like it would work brilliantly in the spoken word context. I would suggest playing some Coltrane while reading this poem.: John Coltrane was a freedom fighter/Liberator of the spirit from the shackles of form. . . 

 priest slinging tone color with principles/ scientist whirling song with reverence/pouring beauty into our timelessness.

Daaood is also well aware of the social problems that exist in America and in the world. Several of his poems deal with racism and injustice. He rails against war and violence in his verse. In the poem simply titled War, he writes that: 

 those that call the shots/are not the have nots./those that call the shots/are not those shot at/ those that end up dead /are not the ones that led.

This collection is very accessible and I often found myself surprised at how musical the verse was. Repetition of phrase is often used to draw readers (or listeners) into the verse. There is also very vivid imagery at times. Daaood is a master of language and that comes through in these poems. I think that fans of black poetry and modern poetry will enjoy these poems. It will also serve as a great volume for people who enjoy poetry as spoken word. One can feel the music when reading these poems aloud. 

The Language of Saxophones upholds the fine tradition of great verse from City Lights. Some may not like the political views he holds or his views on spirituality but Daaood is a great poet. I do think those interested in current American poetry should seek this book out.