By McKinley Michalowski

The third step, alive
down, down, down…
Immersed in a warm explosion.

Swimming
in the smoke of cigars and cigarettes.
Trumpets exclaiming
how do you do!
Liquid white
dynamite
spread wide
across her golden coffee painted face
lipstick candy cane swirl.

She stumbled
into boomerang bartender
pour me something

sweet
and strong.

Long fluttery eyelashes

flick
eye
wink

Lusting over wood grain,
liquor over ice

flick
smoke
ash

floating to rest
beneath her high
high heels.

Lifting dainty ankles
gently crossing them,
resting curves
draped about the bar stool
melting.

Pupils
two black cats
darting
fleeting
flirting
across the path of
every other man’s glance.

Glass marked red
cold blooded
glass kiss to her lips
clank
glass
back on wood.

Eye curtains drawn
softly
closed
relishing the rush
as her chest became a furnace
in private
down, down, down…

Turning face
music
her bare back exposed
pricked with goose flesh
as the cool bourbon
warmed her insides
from toes to hot face.

The band
a thriving organism,
pulsating
before her very
starry eyes.

Her nose began to bleed
into candy cane swirl
red lipstick lips
dripping tributaries

the tempo soared
raced
tasting iron
ice melting
red on her tongue.

Hot face
crimson eyes
red velvet
stream tears

aloud
she whispered
songbird soft
oh how this music moves me
tried her legs
and
collapsed
into a beautiful exhale.

The music tempo slowed
and saxophone roared
a lovely heartbreak
resounding
reverberating
brick walls
heartbreak.

A lonely man from the bar
with eyes for her moments before
laid down all he had in his pockets
tipped his hat
kicked back his stool

…and found himself with his feet on the asphalt.
walking through the misty evening
moon invisible far away
palms sweaty
chest throbbing
aching

alas
the sax
bass
trumpet
candy cane lipstick swirl
danced
while he hummed aloud
with eyes closed, smiling
a drunken jazz piano riff

body and soul,
body and soul,
body and soul…

 

McKinley Michalowski is a working writer, artist and student. She writes poetry, short stories, and verses of prose. As an artist, she works with acrylic and watercolor paint. She also experiments with sculpture and photography. She is always looking for new creative outlets and ways to create new perspectives.

Photo by Marcos Morales.