Sticky Joints

Late night Midtown Manhattan in one of those sticky places with the sticky tables and the sticky food

we have ended up here fortuitously, yeah, I said fortuitously…

accidentally-slash-casually like the tourists that are here, that don't know no better

and you can find this same sticky plastic over amplified grub

across each fat American city

it is middle America's fancy restaurant 

where you go for birthday bells and a song with sparklers in your pudding

happy hour with your tacky drink and floppy nachos 

and fat fat fatness sitting on vinyl benches and shredded lettuce, 

iceberg...which I revile

that tastes like cheapness

at least in the middle of america fancy food havens 

-quotation marks in the air- 

like this one, the lighting isn't as bad

but in middle of Manhattan the middle of the road hooterviles and maplebees 

and all of those that thank beak-less chicken that it is friday, 

bad lighting is unfortunate…

a warehouse turned into a family friendly tourist hive with the bedbug hotel right next door 

which has that same lighting from decades ago handed down from caged mill workers

a lighting that makes a buzzing sound

and illuminates the zombie staff in a green or yellow glow

it makes a sound under the football TV…

a sound that is under 

the sounds of some kind of american music which  is all over 

a music that is meant to cover the sound of tourist grumblings and children yelping 

and that light it keeps the tourist kids awake as they yawn and spill their drinks 

with their sticky fingers onto the sticky table and it flows onto the sticky floor

but this doesn't bother you…

YOU only want to spend some time with me, and I want to spend some time with YOU...

WHEREVER. 

because we pass like ships in the night too many times 

and usually during the day.

So, like Romans we sit, waiting for my tacky cherry limeade while my tired eyes look at you

and admire your 

apple crunch smile, 

that smile...

with those lips of yours…

I smile at 

those eyes of yours...

your two eyes, 

and that nose of yours

Yes, I'm talking about THAT FACE! 

Your lovely face,

that melts away the fatness of the joint

you unstick the stickiness, and my innards rejoice… 

icky sticky washes away when I look at your face

your laugh and your voice soften the sounds and 

your mood lightens the light

Those plastic sesame teriyaki sticky chicken fingers were only as delicious 

because of your presence

I point out that you've got sticky sesame teriyaki chicken finger juice on your wrist

and I wipe it away gently with my napkin.

NOW...
now...there is only the sticky situation of my Desire for you

that is stayed by your timid wish…

and your cautious affection for me.

I'm Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!

and IT only grows despite our agreement to let it be what it is

so it has become what it has become

and it grows in-spite of the cheap tasting lettuce that you seem to enjoy.