Fragile features
Fractured fragments
Maniacal masked madman
Massacres poetic existence
Amidst mixed messages
Zero oversight
Silence heard ‘round
World wound tight
Exclusivity
Lacking empathy
Brain dead
D-Flat
Senile symphony sings
Border disorder dyslexic directives
Demanded by
Demented demagogues
Authoritarian delusion
Creating confusion
Continued grift
Gift gone
God aghast
Wonder how long
It must last…
hard work is where your brilliance began
palmed the world like a ball in the palm of your hand
forced those in your circle reach their potential
understood to succeed one must plan
impacted lives you never met
tougher your workouts more confident you'd get
dedication to ball all you knew
years of jumpshots fadeaways too
intensity legendary, focus, no fear
defenders in shock when you'd switch a gear
not a soul could control the shake or the bake
ignored critics complaints ’bout the shots you’d take
air balls against Utah/ 46 to get 81
refusing to lose is how you defined fun
life loving ball made you love living life
buckets of sweat, intense pain, sacrifice
by leaps your game grew, fame nothing new
flew above and beyond chasin' Mike cuz you knew
beating the best was the test you must pass
titles, tomahawks, kiss off the glass
gifts to Laker Nation for twenty years
bodacious, voracious through smiles and tears
rose to the top became cream of the crop
Mamba Mentality never to stop
fluent-flowing-truthful-glowing
daring-caring-sharing-bestowing
knowing hard work would be the key
5 Rings
2 Gold
3 x MVP
inspiration through actions, compassion, deeds
sowed multiple seeds, fulfilled your vast needs
game clinching shots again and again
passion, persistence, desire to win
precocious persona day you arrived
some dug it, most didn’t, yet you survived
scrutiny-jealousy-envy-doubt
with meditation/ visualization shut the negative out
with Gigi in hand helped us all understand
importance of family, having a plan
at thirteen knew what she wanted to do
UConn/ WNBA/ Oscar too
now you both shoot hoops high above
we’ll remember...always with prayers and love
Coltrane’s cover of
My Favorite Things
is placed in braindead rotation
on our family stereo
the day it’s released in
March 1961
demanding undivided attention
it soothes our senses
while seizing our souls
sampled from
The Sound Of Music
a hit Broadway musical
of which I knew nothing
Trane’s modal interpretation
ignites my imagination
I soon learn to scat his
scintillating solos by heart
often humming the melody
while falling asleep
even now
when hearing soprano saxophone
I’m reminded
then rewinded
back to those
memorable moments…
a few years later
Our 5th grade class
goes to Radio City Music Hall
to see the film version of
The Sound Of Music
still not connecting the dots
I’m shocked
when a blond hair woman
pops up on the screen
propped up in this bed
singing to a group of children
she’s not only stolen
Trane’s song
but added lyrics
which make zero sense
I am quietly confused
while deeply disappointed
the following day
our class is tasked with
writing reviews of the movie
I imagine my imagery
is a bit too much
for the teacher’s taste
She gives me a
B Minus
citing my remarks about
the short hair blonde woman’s
soulless voice
as the reason why
I want to cry
instead
I hum the head of
Coltrane’s My Favorite Things
as I pimp stroll out of the classroom
hand held to heart
middle finger fully extended
reg e gaines is a poet, lyricist, playwright and Grand Slam champion spoken word artist. He was the lyricist for the musical Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk (for which he received two Tony Award nominations) and also a Grammy Award nominee. He has published several books of poetry and edited the 2015 poetry anthology, A Year in Ink. He has served as artistic director of the NYC Downtown Urban Arts Festival since 2007.
