Lazarus

I met him in a dive bar
he was all swagger and rock and roll 

looking like The Clash

was his opening act.  
 

Magic and myth
he played the Excalibur 
of guitars.
He melded with it
submerged in heavy 
echo and reverb
a kaleidoscope of sound. 

He broke barriers 
with that Fender 

all wild blue and purple haze
ghost notes bounced
through a hall of mirrors. 

I knew that he would be 
famous some day. 
All the right people
heard him play

Soon he was opening

for the Beale Street Blues Boy.

His future was glitter and gold
until the night 
he got in the wrong car
with the wrong driver. 

Like Lazarus
he died and rose again 
but not so miraculous 
he suffered paralysis 
in his left arm. 

Days grew dark 

his guitar gathered dust. 

He dreamed of ways 

to compete with his yesterdays.

Then came the day

an angel was born, a baby girl
who gave him the will to move on

to reinvent himself. 

He picked up a harmonica 
and shared his blues with it 
he breathed fire through it
that harp wept
as it breathed life back into him.  

Then he taught himself to play

the slide guitar one handed 

and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. 

_____________________________

Notes:

This is a true story. His name is Cole Fonseca. He has since learned to play slide guitar one handed, and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucdO4NczeuI

Him before the accident:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS0wjFCPDRY

Him playing harmonica and singing at Fat Cat in Modesto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYvjETn3LRc

Him playing slide guitar one handed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZrtliRaalg

About induction into the Blues Hall of Fame:

https://thesungazette.com/article/news/2009/02/25/prodigal-son-returns/

Wild Blue Angel is a Jimi Hendrix album

Purple Haze is a Jimi Hendrix song