Jeff Hanneman, guitarist and founding member of extreme heavy metal band Slayer, died recently of liver failure at the age of 49. He was known for his aggressive and dynamic guitar work and for helping to bring the raucous energy of California punk into the more sprawling, progressive world of heavy metal. He was not a particularly likable man, and he may seem an unlikely subject for a tribute poem, but poet Jeff Holt, who was reared on his music, persuasively captures the raw energy of Hanneman’s guitar playing as well as his provocative appearance in his new poem “Reborn,” whose title derives from a Slayer song from their seminal 1980s Def Jam release Reign in Blood.

For Ernest Hilbert

You were the guy who didn’t care
if someone’s head got split.
“He dove into the pit,”
you’d shrug with an unblinking stare.

You were the weaving, shit-faced drunk
who never missed a fret,
who cranked up Minor Threat,
turning your band-mates on to punk.

You played the nazi, antichrist,
anything to scare.
Hidden under hair,
your face, emerging, just looked pissed.

You were the wild black rook to King,
matching or trumping solos
that shrieked with killing blows,
they raked, flacked, fracked, but rarely sang.

You were a hero to the torn
fuck ups like me. My crowd
heard Slayer once, and proud-
ly claimed them ours. We were reborn.

And so we lay you to rest, Jeff,
knowing you would say
“Hey, fuckers! Go away!
I’m sleeping!” One more goodbye, death.