Big guy, just drunk enough
obviously from Gresham
took a look
and then another
at Barker Ajax. Might’ve even stared.
He looked at Barker’s long
ponytail and both pierced
ears and his black
leather jacket, all those zippers
and asked, drunk dismissive sneer here.
Joking just enough.
Are you trying to look cool,
or something?
No, man,
Barker responded,
his voice a feint
put his tail between his legs. But then
I am cool.
Trying got nothin’ to do with it.
This is what cool looks like.
Perhaps you just don’t
recognize it.
That was most he’d said all day
But Barker was in a bad mood.
On the bus late at night.
Older than I would’ve imagined,
was all the big guy said.