Nighthawks
I am here with Tom Waits for company, and he reminds me of a place I
have never been, of a dirty little street, and a seedy little bar, and
it's 3 AM, and there is too much smoke, and the light is dark, and we
are all mellow. All one tuned-in body throbbing along to his growl. All
in the same place inside and out. All slightly sleepy. All of us with
cold vodka and beer. All of our talking hushed but rumbling. All of us
together, cocooned, secure in a moment none want to see end. What a
wish.
Addendum: 2025 01 31: If I wrote this today, I'd swap out "All of us
with cold vodka and beer" for "All with rusted brandy in a diamond
glass".