The Bartender

What is love, but an illusion, a con to drain a man's pockets and soul?

I muse morosely on the topic, vowing to never again cede control...

You could call me a cynic, or perhaps just a bitter shell of a man...

Brooding in the dark alone, a post-work drink in hand...

I prefer to drink in solitude, drowning in my thoughts and rum...

But my phone won't stop ringing; 'Cuz, you gotta get out and have some fun!'...

Now I'm in a smoke-filled lounge, stuck with music me and my old soul despise...

Whole crew steady vibin, I'm steady tryin not to roll my eyes...

I'm too weary for this, soul too tired of this game...

No offense but all these ladies look and sound the same...

Kill my drink, start to stand, to a chorus of 'boo!' and 'no!'...

Right then it's as if the lights dim, the music starts to slow...

The door is open, the glow from street lights spilling in...

A heavenly vision glides through the smoke, surveying the room with a grin...

Mocha skin glowing, locs done up in a crown...

My Lord, her eyes, her smile; she has me rooted to the ground...

I blink once, twice, thrice; it has to be a trick of the light...

No.. she IS looking at me.. I'm no longer certain I want to call it a night...

Now she looks away, time resumes its normal pace..

Fairly certain I have a confounded look on my face...

And how are all the party-goers still at their same routine?...

I'm irrationally annoyed at the revelry; how can you all ignore this queen?!..

Look who's standing before us! How can you all act so normal?!..

Straighten my shirt, brush off my jeans; why didn't I dress more formal?..

Is that her behind the bar, mixing & pouring libations?..

Her gaze lights on my empty glass; I need no further invitation...

Rum and coke, rum and coke; rehearsing what to say in my head...

Rum and coke, rum and coke; though I'd rather drink in her essence instead...

Just like that, I'm at the bar, face to face with this woman so divine...

Then she smiles at me, and I promptly take leave of my mind...

No coherent thought, knees weak, shivers up my spine...

Butterflies, heart pounding, lungs empty all at the same time...

She's smiling curiously at me; dammit, what's the line?!...

Say 'rum and coke', 'rum and coke'...but..."Ma'am, why you so fine?!"...

Now she's laughing with a slight blush; I'm thoroughly ensnared...

Now she's lookin dead in my eye; like we're the only ones there...

How could I think I knew beauty, before I ever saw her smile?...

Never heard her laugh, yet thinking I knew music all the while?...

A couple splashes of rum, a dash of pop, my glass is once again full...

I tip her, I toast her; as I turn, she looks to the empty bar stool...

Not goin back to the section, fellas; 'Cops Up', Lyfe Jennings on the club speakers, singing...

I humbly take a seat; been granted an audience with a goddess this evening...

The cynical voice from earlier questions my shift in perspective: perhaps I'm going mad?

She's smiling expectantly, I take a drink; hmm...another round might not be so bad...