Click here to listen to Jazztopia
By Jacob Cafaro
I Return
There is a city underground
within the mafic stone
hewn from prehistoric hopes and fears
the trumpeteer goes home
Halls lit up with green electric
he kneels before his ‘king’
technicians fire up the circuit board
lights flicker on the screen
I have returned, from the outer world
where highway noises drown out sounds of birds
Charlie Parker sends his regards
Computer program sets down the law
what little laws they need
the central system administrates
collectively collectively
Uploading the trumpeteer’s tale
computer machine asks
why did they maintain family structure?
why do they still partner in pairs?
I do not know, the reasons why
I met a man who holds his trumpet high
Charlie Parker sends his regards
II Differences
Music in the outer world is filled with half-step chords
but music underground is only filled with perfect fifths
all the words rhyme right because computers keep the lists
and everyone is happy but no one feels the wind
Underground the meter moves in steady four-four time
The night time streets are dim and vacant and quiet
Up above it seems that they are all behind the beat
Dancing on their tip-toes and swinging from their lamp posts
I want to hear the bebop lines
The sweating genius under the bright lights
I’m tired of this sterile electric life
When the pioneers first went below they dreamed of freedom
Abandoned the old gender roles, taught children all was equal
With men and women squarely same, no more romance, no more games
Beauty turned to tarot cards, love’s keen edge gone dull
Raised the children set aside, without a father or a mother
Taught from very early on to brave and overcome each other
But without a world to fight against the teenage years are dry
And young adults resign themselves to follow the old ways
I want to hear the bebop lines
The sweating genius under the bright lights
I’m tired of this sterile electric life