©2021 Michael Raven
we stood like ice -- sacred whoresons waiting for redemption in sin under the neon sun welt-pelted youth aged disgraceful, rough our cigarette-ashed tongues laden heavy with liquor smiles to the leather of hailstorm-licking gutterboot life shutter-flicker flash-still lives haunted by need we, me, you, them kiss our ghost-kin to the pyre our fire burning tyger bright dancing in the nadir night painted coal cue sax man: we love our audience we love our audience showing heart & soul jazz hep cat beret black whiskey talk microphone beating skin red in the basement sub-lit haze music dawn winter, black sedge sludge greasy with lipstick lies kissing, licking, kissing stocking knee to velvet lips underskirt dreams in the alley, the alley popcorned with needles and jizz play again sam with tinsel town fingers tapping meandering lines and i heard her voice through the memory haze smoked oak bar jaundiced with time singing glory glory gloria as we shambled the night away naked and unafraid
“popcorned with needles
and jizz” is a killer line. Some great imagery in this poem, conjured with delightful wordplay
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Thank you, my friend. I appreciate the compliment.
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