Jazz Fantasia

The jazzmen are the great artists, bringing life and sound to the world. They are mystical, magical, and divine in their ability to bring energy. Sandburg, a musician, uses their techniques in the composition of this poem. “Jazz Fantasia” feels improvised as it moves from scene to scene without logical connection, yet upon a close read, the themes are present throughout the entirety of the poem. The way Sandburg composed and structured the poem is similar to the improvised and sporadic nature of jazz music that, despite its seeming randomness, has musically thematic connections throughout the performance. One could almost set the poem to an upbeat jazz melody, as the two would so well complement one another.

In “Jazz Fantasia,” the jazzmen serve more as the poet’s muse than as actual people. The speaker invokes them at the beginning of the poem to sing their song; at the end of the poem, he invokes them again to return to their starry home as the speaker tells them to go to the red moon in the sky. The magical quality the speaker gives to these musicians shows his appreciation and love of their craft. The speaker offers a clear reverence for those who can make jazz music.