Poem: Where’s The Stage? Where’s The Audience? And Where’s The Money?

A poem about Coleman Hawkins and the things that mattered to him.

Coleman Hawkins all but invented
the tenor saxophone for jazz.

Three questions were at the heart
of any performance by him.

He played with body, mind, and soul.
His whole self in every recording

or show. But all he ever wanted
to know — was where’s the stage?

Where is the audience? And where
is the fucking money?