Mosgiel coal miner's son who played trumpet

Mosgiel coal miner's son who played trumpet

The life and death of a great trumpet player in 19 lines   Michael Gibbs the trumpet player (New Zealand Symphony Orchestra 1952 – 1994) was a good friend. He was turning 80 and I wanted to write him a poem. I had on my noticeboard a French postcard called states and empires of the trade winds. There were trees and the ocean and faces with puffed up cheeks blowing for all they were worth. I imagined Michael as a baby lying in his cot, looking up…