She Is My Chaos

A poem written about a barmaid at my local bar.

She keeps her lighter in her bra,

I can see it when she reaches

to the top shelf

for bottles I can’t afford,

She keeps a ring in her nose

in stead of on her finger

as she wields her smile

as if it was a sword,

She keeps her wedding until gay marriage

is legal in this country

I didn’t know that I agreed

until she told me

She keeps sober at the bar

but keeps my glasses full

until the lights go up

around about 2.40

She keeps my name from her mouth

until I’m not around

when she whispers it

in someone else’s ear,

I’m guilty of that same thing,

I’m scared to let it out

for fear it ends up

all that people hear

She keeps my world in disarray

scattering my thoughts

this really wasn’t

something that I’d planned

So she keeps my mind away from where I am

as I try to understand

what might happen

if I tried to hold her hand