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Scene from a Bar that Closed Ten Years Ago

I swear to God it happened in slow motion
the way you walked in that night, like a movie,
like Jimmy Dean, like a record scratch jukebox
breakdown—
or maybe it was just me
someone, anyway, no one could believe.

Dark walls and faded posters of traveling bands
from years gone by seemed somehow fresh alive,
the smoke of years dissolving as you smiled
and dropped quarters on the table—
even Jesus stopped to stare
a shining pile of silver for anyone who dared.

At the foosball table, your hands clutched the levers,
red and blue pinwheels spinning to your command,
counterclockwise against the nature of my heart,
you were kicking ass—
I sipped my beer, losing time
you took every name but mine.

This is for Read Write Poem’s Prompt # 94. It’s an image prompt. A detail shot of the red and blue players on a foosball table called “My Angel and My Devil” by Thomas Hawk. Check out other people’s responses to the prompt here.

Published inPoetry

24 Comments

    • Thanks, Paul. There used to be this guy you’d see in the bars around here who always dressed up like Jesus. He’d drink and shoot pool. I wanted to work him in somehow, but without explaining anything. Just him be there, you know.

  1. I really like the mysterious and squalid details, and the implication of the “closed down” bar in terms of the condemned state of those inside, the apparent close-call escape of the speaker. The use of the second person is nice counterpoint as it brings the speaker up-close to the mysterious and dangerous figure.

    • The angel/devil thing was going on in my head as that was the title of the photograph, but I wanted to be ambiguous about the speaker’s feelings for the foosball player. A bit of regret and a bit of relief.

  2. I enjoyed the sense of excitement you managed to create. I also liked that you were not a victim to this hustler. I read your poem a few times. Thanks for writing it so well.

    • Tumblewords, those nights make for some interesting writing. Thanks for your comment and I’m glad it worked for you.

  3. Hi James,

    I find this beautifully poetic and didn’t see the squalidness of the bar! I love:
    “the smoke of years dissolving as you smiled”
    and
    “counterclockwise against the nature of my heart”
    as well as the reference to the pile of silver penies.

    • Thanks, Derrick. I didn’t really think of it as squalid, just old, which is, I think, where the time references in those lines comes from. I’m glad you enjoyed it and thanks for reading.

    • Thanks, Nathan. I’ve been experimenting with using titles to move my poems into slightly different directions than the text alone would do. If that makes any sense.

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