see down the eye of a straw
as icecubes
crack inside jokes,
water drips.

it moves.
along the shoulder's
edge, past the curve
of a wrist

slipping deep
into its cuff,
along the up turn of his hand
a man hits his knee on the bar.

****** cakes.
soak the scent of *****
as badly as grease
wants to drip down hair

into a cup of malt
slapping its surface
a bug feels texture
inside the speaker

so thick is the air
and sensation of selzter,
****** tastes of heat
slide down the bar

off the edge of the counter
onto the floor,
shattering the sky
of people in the basement