rising from the earth

knowing something of life and death,
i sat with 20 men;
just one of the guys
on an open bar stool
hoping for a summer of love,
aware that my youth died like the spring.

i caught a whiff of their fragrant lies
between sips of the coldest beer.
then, playing fast, i watched a slow game of pool
hearing several languages,
and recognized one of them
(having traveled in my earlier days).

a sullen man with the darkest beer
moved quietly toward the exit door.

he had heard everything he could,
yet still was in need of adventure
and looking for something more,
a stiff shot of excitement, say,
where mysteries fill the parking lot,
he soon danced on the hoods of cars
and flew into outer space
without even rising from the earth.

there was a sailor going home
with garlic on his breath
and he stopped, and in amazement
watched the sullen man
enter heaven,
without missing what he was leaving.