Guntszer handed me the bottle
and I gulped deeply
the sweet wine rushing down my throat
then I gave the Thunderbird to Clarence Lee
who didn’t swallow
but instead poured a bit
into two small bowls on the floor
one for the cat
one for the dog
that done he took a swig
finally Guntszer got his turn.
The Longest Day played on the TV
an ancient thirteen inch black and white.
“John Wayne is one tough bastard, ” said Clarence.
“A candy ass, ” said Guntszer.
“Robert Mitchum was a real life son-of-a bitch
first one to smoke weed in Hollywood
got busted for it
didn’t give a shit
a man’s man.”
Guntzer lifted the bottle to his lips
and finished off the Thunderbird
so I opened the second
and passed it around
and once more Clarence poured some
into the bowls on the floor.
“What’s the cat’s name? ” I asked.
“Tia.”
“The dog? ”
“Tito.”
“How come he only got three legs? ”
“Found him that way.”
“Tia only got one eye, ” I noted.
“Found her that way under the boardwalk
rats had her cornered
a kitten so they had the upper hand
now she eats their assholes
every chance she gets.”
“Even with one eye? ”
“Never forgot that first rumble—
now if a mouse sneaks in
she bites the fucking head off
then plays tiddlywinks
with the carcass.”

Charles Chaim Wax

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-fight-renewed-with-great-violence/