A Dirty, Badly Lit Place

A green glass whisky bottle sits himself
Across from me, looks over the table of
Matched water ring stains, accrued over wasted years
He could have spent on travel, making love
To champagne flutes and brandy snifters, broad
Hungry and rich. “My life’s been built on dumb
Mistakes,” he sighs. – “A glass,” he suddenly
Demands aloud. “Please,” he adds. “One pour more,”
He tells me, “Just the one tonight, that’s all.”
He says, “Oblige me, sir. Let’s smoke cigarettes
And drink all night, as if we were old friends.
Friends with bad history, but who still have chosen
To forget old betrayals, lovers lost,
And anything that interferes with good
Drink, conversation, or the making of
New memories to keep us warm tomorrow.”
We drink all night – life’s coin is spent and spilled
Until I say farewell to my empty
Friend to bid sunny morning my hellos.