Between Drinks

He rides the coach toward
his father's alcohol.
He twitches and bleeds
like a mangled insect.

The bus is an imperilled submarine
maintaining radio silence.
Perhaps one wee green light
nipples the dashboard.

Pouring past outside,
a long black nowhere nothing.
Pouring past outside,
ton upon inky, analgesic ton

of time bought, of reckoning postponed.