'The Village Cafe (circa 1985-Richmond, VA)'
Acrylic on canvas attached to wood panel / 48" x 48"
$2000

'AFTERNOONS AT THE VILLAGE CAFE'

Prism glass shifts to
mirror from this angle. I
ignore my reflection to watch
Art School students in thrift
shop clothes and weird

hair. The new Beat
Generation hangs dangerous in
this withering cafe. William the Poet
hovers, (no doubt stoned), over a
notebook calling up

Kerouac's ghost. Outside
is the pumpkin dusk. Neon signs
click click on to hum pastel bright.
Across Grace St. dirt woman sits
big-bellied waving to the

Fags who see him as a
gross old Queen. My good friend
Jorge lopes in to drift among conversation and
beer. Marti Jo serves another pitcher.
She laughs cracked at our

bad jokes. The jukebox plays
old Rolling Stones and Lou Reed.
I stand without legs and float to the
intriguing bathroom. In the
morning the rest of the

evening will be

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFforgotten.

© Jerry L. Kirk