I'm Having the Usual

It's another winter's night in Waterloo,
In Riley's Lounge. The weather's fierce,
And no one's here, except for Nikolai,
The cobbler, Jessica, and me. Jessica's
Behind the bar. Her back is turned.
She's drying glasses. Past her prime,
A kid would say, I rather like her
Filled-out form, her mother's hips,
And bulbous ass and breasts, her
Tangled, frosted hair. She's here
Because she needs the cash, and that
Is all. She told me outright on a night
Some years ago that I could savor what
I see, but it would not be mine. Nikolai
Is bitching, as he's wont to do. The
World's gone to hell. No one has decent
Shoes. The soles are plastic now,
Not leather, glued, not sewn, and, so,
As always, Nikolai complains that he
Will lose his business soon. Maybe he'll
Go back to Russia. Maybe I'll hear
Something that I haven't heard a
Hundred times, and maybe Jessica
Will turn, and say the drinks are on
The house, and I can have her, after
All, and maybe, once the snow has
Stopped, I'll go outside. My car
Will start, and I'll be done with one
More winter's night in Waterloo,
In Riley's Lounge.



Poetry by Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 18 times
Written on 2011-01-27 at 16:52

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