lacquered in rust
moon-

stranger staggers into
swamp gut
saloon

and cocks his lips
at a dancing
broom,

feathers too frayed to
salvage such
room.

ballerina frets
her best

come the end may
amount to
less

than a puddle of dribble
in last call
spittoon-

a hope-wrenching notion
however untrue.

kindled by bonfire of
keepsakes,

a toothless kid still lingers,
likes his candy

by the nickel by
the shovel

sucker sticks in
pockets

stuck
together,

in back row of splash
paint bus,

mostly friendly
girl’s face

that pretty shade
of dirty-

shrugs like age won’t
waste us.