J. Patrick Lewis

for Billie Holiday Lady could pour you a song, Coffee and a little cream. Stir it the whole night long Into a brown-sugar dream. Lady could wrap you a note Up in a velvet night — Sometimes Manhattan satin, Always Harlem delight. Lady Day could sing it Like nobody ever has At the Shim Sham Club, Hot Cha Cha, Joints that swung on jazz. Her bittersweet songs told Heartbreak, Meet your sister Pain, But Lady melted yesterdays Into beautiful rain.

Jook joint's about to come alive! It's like a bee outside a hive; And when the hive begins to hum, It's like a dim and distant drum; And when the drum begins to beat, It's like a circus down the street; And when the street begins to fill, It's like a sudden summer chill; And just as summer simmers down, It's like the fireworks over town. Don't matter what the preachers say — This congregation's here to stay 'Cause when the jook joint comes alive Is when the Delta blues arrive!

"The Eagle has landed!" —Apollo II Commander Neil A. Armstrong "A magnificent desolation!" — Air Force Colonel Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. July 20, 1969 That afternoon in mid-July, Two pilgrims watched from distant space The moon ballooning in the sky. They rose to meet it face-to-face. Their spidery spaceship,Eagle, dropped Down gently on the lunar sand. And when the module's engines stopped, Rapt silence fell across the land. The first man down the ladder, Neil, Spoke words that we remember now— “One small step...” It made us feel As if we were there too, somehow. When Neil planted the flag and Buzz Collected lunar rocks and dust, They hopped like kangaroos because Of gravity. Or wanderlust? A quarter million miles away, One small blue planet watched in awe. And no one who was there that day Will soon forget the sight they saw.

December 26, 1974 Title IX of the 1972 Education Act is signed, providing for equal opportunity in athletics for girls as well as boys. The year was 1974 When Little Leaguers learned the score. President Ford took out his pen, And signed a law that said from then On women too would have the chance To wear the stripes and wear the pants. Now what you hear, as flags unfurl, Is "Atta boy!" and "Atta girl!"

Benny said To Ruby Lee, “M-A-R-R-Y M-E!” Ruby said, To Benny, “Ben, wouldn't That be F-U-N?” Benny said, “My Ruby Lee, We will W-E-D Only if you let me K- I-S-S you Every day!”

She looks for wiggly fishes, At least so it appears, To stuff inside the suitcase That's swinging from her ears. And though she's very graceful When flying round and round, How does she get that faceful Of luggage off the ground?

“Mister Johnson I see you look to buyin' Mister Johnson That all you want is Fame? Mister Johnson Now what you got to offer? Mister Johnson Salvation is my name With a rhythm on a riff That's practically God Oh Lord, I'm a pure Undivining rod I'm a flickerin' candle With the blackest light I'm the darkest angel And I own the night Mister Johnson That instrument you got there Mister Johnson It's Lucifer's guitar Mister Johnson I'll tune it for you, baby Mister Johnson They won't know who you are I'm a cutthroat seller, The Magician of Deal Who can stoke sweet fire That'll make you feel Like a hothouse flower On double defrost Who won't give a nickel For the petals it lost Mister Johnson You slink on back to livin' Mister Johnson In devil-may-care control Mister Johnson Don't thank me for the favor Mister Johnson I thank you for your soul”