One Night in a Bar

The sky was particularly clear that day
Twinkling with stars not seen everyday
There I was waiting outside
Trying to catch the signal to get inside

A tough smile greeted me at the entrance
A warm smile welcomed me beyond
A familiar smile bade me into the trance
A strange smile wondered how to respond

One round of tequila with salt and lime
And the tongues loosened with time
The glasses clinked once again
Just in time for the rest to troop in

A short smile nodded
A long smile flattened
A mischievous smile goaded
A sober smile gladdened

One round of gin and tonic
The music started to panic
But the hands were still on the table
And the ears were listening to many a fable

I decided to take a break
To take a look at the sky outside
For this ride needed a brake
Lest I lose my position as a guide

The sky was particularly hazy that day
But not by the unnatural clouds
There I was lighting up the darkness
To test the limits of the void

The tough one was now soft
The warm one indifferent
The familiar ones had multiplied
But the strangeness still lingered

One round of coke and rum
And all the sensations slowly returned
All the rhymes were now dumb
All the reasons now unburdened

The room was turning round and round
The legs were tired of perching
And so all glasses started bonding
As a gentle noise replaced all the sound

Voices rung in unison
With both friends and strangers
Voices sung in derision
At both rap and pop
Voices bling with propulsion
Reaching heights never before heard
Voices tinged with emotion
Plumbing depths never to be heard again
Voices began to tremble
Slipping and sliding over words
Voices now humbled
Slowly driving into the garage of silence

Empty plates were cleared
The throats now fully seared
They all bade the glasses away
For done they were for the day

Empty plates now appeared
With printed papers in black
They soon disappeared
With printed papers stacked back-to-back

Everyone slowly trudged back to their chariots
For they had all drunk like kings
Twos became fours
As the night brought along the cold winds

I don’t particularly remember the sky that night
Except that it was unnaturally bright
But I know I won’t forget that day
As that was the day my story died