By Joseph Hesch
Inspired by Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks"
I was sitting there
on the dark end,
away from the windows'
reflections on lives ill-spent,
bookended by open stools,
as well as the day before today
and the night after tomorrow.
Squinting into the icecube
at the bottom of my glass
I see familiar movement behind me,
or maybe it's there in front of me,
all these faces I recognize.
Or maybe just one face multiplied
in the melting moment suspended in my
too-swiftly dwindling spirit.
Perhaps it's another illusion,
a mirage in my desert of time.
I really don't see anything out there
in those near or distant tomorrows
that will make me feel better
about my todays.
That's probably because
I've emptied too many
of my yesterdays.
There is a certain magic that comes upon us we when are placed into an environment such as the one depicted in "Nighthawks". It's that sense of being other worldly, as the hum of the flourescents even takes on a different tone, faces appear more palid and ghostly while objects come to life and pulse with their own energy. I thought your piece captured that essence, making me a fly on the wall as I regard the subject, head bowed, searching for his oasis in the bottom of his glass. Wonderful :)
ReplyDeleteNever mind what was intended by the prompt, this is great! I am glad you misread it and produced this piece.
ReplyDeletei agree with penny, you did well...love this picture and you bring it even more to life with your words...excellent piece...
ReplyDeleteI so like your setting of character in place as you get into the mind of a denizen of the bar, then go beyound that into their pereception as they gaze back outward (presumeably at us) through a glass-fueled prism. It's moody in just the way it needs to be.
ReplyDeleteI have this in print form above my bed, I'm sure when I'm laying there in the dark, the cafe still emenates a glow. I don't know I quite fancy myself the mysterious red head in the red dress. They all become familiar when you're so used to looking at the image. Loved your take
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