Golden Buzzer – a poem

I stumbled on this recent performance on Britain’s Got Talent, and it reminded me of the way these “Got Talent” shows moved me and kept me company a couple summers ago. So much so that I wrote a poem about how they do more than entertain. They transcend regular moments and veer into something that feels holy–especially when a judge presses the Golden Buzzer. I cry at nearly every performance and see the very best of humanity in these moments.

Golden Buzzer

I have long believed

art heals

but did not expect to find a prescription

in clips of novice singers, musicians, acrobats, or magicians

auditioning for a live audience

woven into notes, lyrics, movement

stories tell of courage, perseverance, a willingness to shatter

stage fright

to give voice to talent

something to prove

someone to prove wrong

some absolutely serene in the delivery while

others stumble and start again

in these performances

a balm

a comfort

a tidal wave of tears

cascade

down

my

cheeks.

Art heals.

Celebrity judges show kindness, awe, wonder

I absorb the feedback

as my own

lost hours of free time

glued to performances

inundated with hope, peace, renewed willingness to

center myself

where I write because I love it

standing in the light

erasing what hasn’t served to push forward

money nor fame solves a problem

it’s not why you’re doing it

I tell myself

each time the judge presses the button

contestant covers mouth

universal sign of shock, vulnerability

confetti glitters, flutters to the stage

I imagine myself in the spotlight

refreshed.