Matt at the Alex English Rainbow Talent Search

(This has nothing to do with my current project. This is just a shout out to my cousin, Matt, in recognition for an awesome night 20-some years ago that I still remember well.)

Matt taught himself.
Toiling alone
at the side of the single-wide,
following fingering charts.
Ascending and descending
he learned every scale
his saxophone could wail.
Twenty-three keys
and a bubble-gum flavored reed
gave him freedom
beyond the trailer park.
He framed the invite,
the honor lie in the asking,
he drilled his skill with reason.
He would play under the lights
in front of the big crowd
and win Coors college cash
at the Alex English Rainbow Talent Search

Not jazz per se
no one in that crowd understood.
They didn’t listen to the likes
of Charlie Parker
or Miles Davis.
They heard Kenny G
and they thought jazz.
Though it hurt
he let “Songbird” flow
from the tenor sax.
Better from a soprano—
but no one sold those
second hand.
Only the rainbow mattered.
The sacred scry for talent.

Others played
The same song
from better instruments.
All colors of the rainbow
fizzled flatulence
out the bells of the horns.
He heard their squawks
he cringed at their squeaks.
His wallet weighed down
would feel good.
Lights made to fade
as the star emerged.
Like Venus
in the western sky,
Alex English rose
to bless meager musicians
with that mana
that gives such subsistence—
cash baby…cash.

He passed by Matt
not even a nod
no respecting wink
for all of his hard work.
He boxed Matt out
with his six foot seven frame.
He scored no points
that night...
barbarous Nugget!
The squeaking, squawking,
screeching winner
took his $100 check
and bought a latte
at the college of his choice.