irish girl at the elks club

irish girl at the elks club - for brenda

motorcycle gangs and morticians
conspire with drunken elks
turning tragedy into bright reality

a brother wild with a fantasy life
theft rage speed
lays now quietly in a coma

come to dinner
the dinner at the elks club
we'll dance to the music
of aging polyester musicians
a combo longing for fame
and the perfect note

a mortician drunk on friendliness
the pretty waitress with the lilting accent
the funny hat
exchange a greeting
why don't you dance
you should dance
dance to the combo
he says

shrinking embarrassed
the lilting voice says no I'm working
can we go now but we don't
restlessly the combo plays on

the waitress sits placidly with her drink
and the company of a cheerful bartender
timid yet guided by the force of everything
finally and purely
we fall in love at the elks club bar

-richard