9

Drinking and thinking
In a trendy Irish bar
For quite some time

Then

Suddenly

Feeling self conscious

In this empty bar -
Usually full of howling musicians
And growling felines

Empty feeling

But finding pages
Yes
In a denim back pocket
From a book I recently dismembered -

Feeling I have a friend, a weapon
Against
The Feeling

Reading a bit now
Laughing a bit now
To myself of course

Burying the feeling
With glee

Then the bar starts to fill up
Slowly

Even Better feeling now

But too many old farts -
Their silver heads glimmer fracturing
The golden pub glow -
Looking like they're part of
Some gay-assed book club

One of them complains:

The music starts at 9?
But we'll be gone by then

A band has just started setting up

And I too wish
I could stay past 9