Digging Britney

I think if a paleontologist
dug into Britney Spears like the Badlands
the scientist would find Britney-shaped bones
and wonder if the creature walked upright
and decipher from its teeth what it ate
and speculate about what type of sounds
would have resonated in the hollow
of the Britney skull’s sinus cavity.

Musicians sometimes describe a sequence
that goes piano —> saxophone —> guitar
and then tip back a drink mischievously
and say the cool instrument of today
is a computer program called ProTools
and if you want to get the good groupies
learn to play the studio-in-a-box.
Silicon chips. Silica is crushed rock.

Scientists and drunken musicians try
to unearth a deep truth, something hidden
by rock. We might need drunken scientists.
Jazz musicians can play anything cool
but there’s a sound—it’s something like a song—
that’s not under any jazz player’s hand.
Piano. Saxophone. Guitar. And now
there’s only the sound of Britney laughing.