Before the Lights Go Out

Six or eight asses in khaki or black,

across the bar at the kitchen, waiting

for trays. individual is, I think, a stripling or girl

on edge of panic, upon edge of dropping

a tray and quitting during the brief pause.

A two are older; at least the pants

stretch tight and their faces display a slight sag.

The single in charge jokes with construction guys

about the amount of beer they all drank

last night, hanging upon in desperation.

Or was it in confidence of . . . Of what? Not tips,

however important; on the other hand something else,

some reassurance, a certain number of child, companion,

anything to clutch off the emptiness

of the parking doom when the lights go out

WILLIAM HOLLIS is the author of alphabetic characters and Voices from the savannas Sketches for a Mayan Odyssey Las Espinas, and Sonata Sonnets; he is generally pulling together a Dark meeting in Mid Air.

Copyright World poesy Incorporated Sep/Oct 2003

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