Rusty's

I study jet planes plowing in the fertile sky

And sowing bloodstreams from the setting sun,

The horror gorgeous.

The bar's an empty movie theater

Projecting monochrome daydreams

So much more real than daily life

Everybody is embarrassed to watch

Without sunglasses

Any longer.

Over shook vacancy

I can smell the smoked paprika down her back

In corkscrew curls.

She smiled like a scolded child defiant.

"Rick, you can't always blame the government."

She patted down my hand

And let her palm rest

In lingering simmering calm,

Obvious.

The cigarette-stained moon

Sprouted over the horizon

For a peek,

The evening promising.

Maybe this night

Will deliver

Us each

And every one.

- 10/30/25