12 Aspirins and a bottle of scotch

A poem about a cool bar.

 12 Aspirins and a bottle of scotch.

 

 

Torrents of whisky wash away the flavour of nicotine.

Smoke hangs in the air, men drink at a rum soaked bar.

The floor glows like liquid silver from spilt beer.

A match is lit, the flame moves like mercury.

Charlie Parker and Louis Armstrong play jazz throughout the bar.

 

A mature woman drinks an elegant martini, she plays with the

green olives as her blond hair dances to the groove.

A man in the corner chews on a cocktail stick, the aroma of sweet

perfume and musky cologne lingers in the air.

A saxophone is played in the toilet.

Drums beat to the beatniks.

A man in a purple hat flips a coin.

 

Heads or tails?

Heads or tails?

 

Shots of gin are swallowed, rivers of Smoky bourbon flow,

men with goatees and women with custard coloured berets kiss and flirt.

The cool dames and the crazy cats swing all night long.

Sitting in an old brown leather chair

Tom waits writes another

cool jazz song.

 

Reviews

[J.V. Stanley]

This screams 'speakeasy'. Upon reading this I saw the 1920's, not entirely sure if that was your intent or not, but from the way its written, that is what I imagined.

Shots of gin are swallowed, rivers of Smoky bourbon flow,
men with goatees and women with custard coloured berets kiss and flirt.
The cool dames and the crazy cats swing all night long.

Also has a feel of the south to it, New Orleans...
I really love the 'custard coloured berets' impeccable imagery here.

Bravo, my friend. wonderfully penned

[Dahlia Phoenix]

If I were at a bar I would never be drinking a martini. That's not flattering but the jazzy flow you give this poem almost makes me feel like I'm there enjoying the relaxing tunes of the saxophone touch my ears. A way to create imagery, Luke. Fantastic job!

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

Pitchy, relative and non forced, well done, good read.

[Kat Collins]

I could picture the old 40's, swing beats and jazz clubs full of whiskey and smoke. I can picture the scat and bop of a five piece jazz band, random players picked up and joined in bits. Love the sauce and rum-soaked piece. As always, a treasure.

[marielondon]

There is such great imagery in all of your poems

[Derek S.Keck]

There’s such a vibe and life to the scenes you create in this "rum soaked bar". Your ability to create a world so vibrant and colorful with soul astounds me. I felt like I walked right through the bar door, stopped, and turned my head left and right. I love the cultural aspects you mix to; this bar seems like a flowing of culture, like the Harlem Renaissance or the beatnik movement in the 50's. I feel like i was transported to the realm of a cultural flowering of music, poetry, and art, mixing a hedonistic life style with utter brilliance and the blossoming of the individual. Beyond brilliant!

[Robbie~xoxo~]

Luke, you are a pro at taking me to these awesome places...I feel like I am sitting at a table in that "rum soaked bar"... taking in the scenery with you. You are definitely talented! Well penned!

[TawnyBlueStar]

love this :) i could imagine what was happening the whole way through :D
great poem :D

[Samantha ~virginpoet]

liked it as always I love how your poetry takes the reader back or makes them wish they were alive during that time or at least thats what it does to me

[Tainted Devotion]

Wow there are so many things going on in this one poem. It read really smooth. So smooth that it felt like I was reading a story rather then a poem. I loved all of the mental imagery that was given to me. I could really feel the mood of the poem and could see in my mind's eye everything that was going on. You did a wonderful job on this. Very well done.

[Enigma]

Interesting. It offers different views of one picture and the disjoint decriptions are pretty good. Well done.