Rhyme and Reason: In the back of a bar somewhere one night

In the back of a bar somewhere one night,
the light of the lamp over the pool table
revealed the features of the faces_
of the patrons.
Some engaged.
Some detached.
Lonely eyes.
Hungry eyes.
A collage of hollow, wanton hopes
and unfulfilled desires.
In the back of a bar somewhere one night,
the rancid odor of a hundred spilled drinks,
the smell of a thousand ashtrays,
and the sticky sweet aroma_
of cheap perfume and dime-store cologne,
cut through the thick air like a stiletto.
In the back of a bar somewhere one night,
Wafting smoke twisted and curled
from cigarettes hanging from lips,
smoldering in clips
and balanced on warped wooden saloon tables,
which were carved with the broken promises
of long lost loves.
All these testimonials cut into these wooden tombstones;
ethched long ago
onto these planks left here for the customers.
A place to sit.
A place to drink.
A place to remember.
A place to forget.
A place to lie and to be lied to.
In the back of a bar somewhere one night,_
the dull buzz of gossip, rumor and braggadocio was periodically interrupted by
the explosions of cue balls penetrating tight racks with sharp crashes,
followed by the clatter and scatter that ensues.
Was I apart from this?
Was I a part of this?
In the back of a bar somewhere one night,
I was surrounded by this place where people gather to be lonely together,
Hoping that in so doing;
No one will know.
Nobody will notice._
But in the end no one cares.
Why would they?
In the back of a bar somewhere one night
another generation of fresh blood
belly’s up to the bar and orders their shots and beers_
and asks;
“What’s new?”