barflies and cowgirls
sittin' at the bar
the sheriff is polishing
his shiny silver star
a fat woman sits
in a chair at her risk
if it collapses
she's got a slipped disc
the bartender laughs 
at people's sick jokes
and the drunk in the corner
is runnin' outta smokes
the sad historian
would like to understand
just why it that everything
is always contraband
in comes that busking dude
with a hidden entourage
behind the madman's shadow
in seething badinage
beyond the streetlamp ochre glow 
kalidiscopes behold
imaginary portis mantles
hides the smoke of  songs untold

2009