Alvin “Red” Tyler

Have You Ever Been

A Saxophone

a breath blown

softly intoned through curved metal

tubing blew in dazzling duo with the germane glow of life 

gleaming in the gloaming of a gardenia-honeyed evening

have you ever

been a song sung in lyrical falsetto

a melody of sensitivity and sincerity

ear caressing, confessing yes, yes love is a sweet wonder

have you ever

riden a funky riff with the amazing grace

of a soft shoe toe tapper patting out a discreet beat

as you lightly and politely step through the gentle rush

of the erotic movement of slow sucking the tender of ten tan toes

have you ever

nimbly negoitiated complex changes

with moves so smooth you make silk seem rough

as you unerringly address each emotional moment calling coitus

by its familiar names like saying heart be still, skin stop trembling

when i come to see you i’m running cause walking is much too slow

have you ever

been so cool in your ecstatic quiverings

that even your shouts come out as hoarse whisperings

and the grunt of your getting it on evidences itself as a one on 

one directional moan, oh baby, come on if you coming, come on

have you ever

been a saxophone, a red saxophone gently blown tenderly as red tyler

resplendently fingering the keys of our feelings, his horn a house 

of joy from which dew drops drip as he smiles, winks and slips 

unobtrusively back into the mouth of god, the only womb from which 

such a magnificent musician could possibly issue

alvin red tyler, a red saxophone

when i grow to full maturity, that’s the sound i want to be!

—kalamu ya salaam