I wrote the first two verses of this poem last summer. I was in my second year of legit adulthood, working and living on my own, and I was struggling to find my place. I would go out a lot, mostly to this one bar about a block away from my apartment, just to get out of the house — and out of my head — yet I never really found what I was looking for. One day, when I was walking around the block, having a smoke, I passed by my regular bar and it looked totally different in the light of day. That was the first inspiration for this poem. Something about the image of an empty bar in bright light connected with me. I added the second verse earlier this year and then finally added the last part a few weeks ago. I finally feel like it’s complete and it expresses something I’m not sure I have the words to describe any other way.
A BAR AT NOON