Creative Living, Creative Works - Angela M. Counts

Poem "Tribute to Mary Lou" by Angela Counts © 2010 Commissioned for Jazz at Union's Women in Jazz - "A Tribute to Mary Lou Williams's Jazz Mass for Peace" ~ United Methodist Church - South End, Boston - February 7, 2010  The men loom so large in jazz Sometimes we forget the women And sometimes we never knew But there she was, all along Started playing at 2 Her mother practiced piano Beating around that old-fashioned organ That Mama used to play Mama told her, sitting there on her lap One day, Mary Lou’s baby fingers Beat her to it Must’ve been so good Mary Lou recalled, that Mama Ran out the door to get the neighbors Wasn’t long ‘fore folks Asked if she could play it Play that piano, play it for ‘em Mama knew she had something Was able to recognize the gift Soon she had the professional musicians Coming by the house daily, on shifts To teach little Mary Lou how to play