Once upon a time, long ago,
There was a time of great woe,
The Great Depression, it was called,
Leaving many feeling small and stalled.

But amidst the struggle and strife,
Music and art brought new life,
Performances of all kinds,
Helped to ease troubled minds.

On a plantation, a composer played,
Creating rhythms that swayed,
A pseudonym he used for his name,
To protect himself from shame.

The blues he sang with emotion,
Aching hearts he set in motion,
On a phonograph, his songs played,
And his music never did fade.

Vaudeville shows he did perform,
Brightening days that seemed forlorn,
With each beat and each note,
People's spirits he did promote.

Though slavery had ended,
Discrimination was not mended,
But the rhythm that he brought,
Shone a light that could not be fought.

So young ones, when you feel blue,
Remember the music that pulled us through,
The rhythm, the blues, the emotion,
That brought a nation back to devotion.

Reflections

Here are a few questions to ask kids to think about the story:

1. What was the Great Depression, and how did it impact people's lives?
2. What was the pseudonym, and why did the composer use it?
3. What emotions did the blues music evoke in the story, and how did it help people cope with difficult times?
4. What is a plantation, and how did the composer's background impact his music?
5. How did the rhythm of the music in the story help to promote resilience and hope during a challenging time?
6. What other forms of art and performance can help to lift people's spirits during difficult times?