a couple old barflies #2...

there they sit
& here I sit watching them,
a couple of old bar flies
holding hands under the table.
like two teenagers trying to hide their love
while, w/their free hands they
wipe drippings of beer off each other’s chins.
the love of drunks
trying to hold each other’s heads up
to drink another
& smile for just a little while longer
drunks in love
how sweet it is.

“don’t talk about him, fuck how many times do I have to
say that shit”

the anger of drunks in love,
the love of angry drunks,
she tells him she is so sorry as
she tells him to fuck off.

there they sit
& here I sit watching them,
a couple of old bar flies
& I can’t help but wonder
what’s with her wearing sunglasses?
the love of drunk anger no doubt.
did they salt their beers in their heyday?
I bet she was the belle of the bar
& he probably fought in the alley
for beers or her honour.
now they meet the beers half way w/ mouths
their shaking hands unable to traverse the distance.

there they sit
& here I sit watching them,
a couple of old bar flies
stumbling to the juke
deciding on a soundtrack that steals back
the blurry years
drinking the pain
joy
tears
& laughter of their lives away.
how sweet they are
as she tells him to get the fuck out of her purse

there they sit
& here I sit watching them,
a couple of old bar flies
stumbling into each other
keeping one another from falling flat on their faces
if that ain’t love
I don’t know what the fuck is.

-2001/2004