The following version of this poem was used to create this guide: Young, Kevin “Busking.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/154417/busking.

Note that all parenthetical citations refer to the line number from which the quotation is taken.

“Busking” is a free verse poem by American poet Kevin Young, told in 10 couplets. It first appeared in Young’s 2003 collection Jelly Roll: A Blues. The title is likely a reference to Jelly Roll Morton, a pianist and bandleader believed to be one of the founding fathers of modern jazz. Young’s collection is centered around musical identities, a theme at the forefront of “Busking.”