THREE BROTHERS


Three brothers in a swanky hotel-bar
Saturday evening in old Maynooth
With the two younger brothers smiling
Extremely watery smiles

Uneasy as comparatively early
At 9 pm, the older brother
Has become repetitive-heavy-drunk
At this stage still in the comedian phase

And he's talking to everybody passing by
But as so many people keep passing by
His brain is being drained of things to say
His brothers amazed as his language implodes

As he asks the sharp-eyed, wide-smile waitress
"Where are ye from?'
"From Poland"

As he grabs her hand and loosely shakes it
She doesn't look afraid but may very well be
But of course
                        he's harmless mostly
But so
                        of course is she
Strong and bright-skinned in the electric evening
Ready willing and able
To take good care of herself
Her horizon,
                        a great rose expanding
In all directions,
                        the walls retreating
As the older brother's
                                    eyes grow red
                                                and then grow dark and then fade
                                                                                                             away