Three AM at the singles’ bar
on the edge of closing —
like lilies on a coffin
with neon pale faces
reflected in the eyeless glass,
a young couple make a final effort
to fall in love;
but not much is said
except with sleepless stillness and
tea-spoon stirring
until they drift off in separated dreams.
Nighthawks by Edvard Hopper
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Running in the slow lane
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“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” — Albert Einstein
chronicling my quarter life crisis
Now we see through a glass, darkly
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The Quantumverse
Poetry, haiku. Life, word play, puns, free verse
About fantastical places and other stuff
Björn Rudbergs writings 
I always wondered what a singles bar was like. Ours close at two. Same as the regular type. My mother always said that I’d never find a nice girl at a bar. Our daughter and SIL found each other at a singles hang out.
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Wonderful poem, made even better with the image!!!
Yes, that’s such a bleak painting. You’ve conveyed the loneliness well.
Lovely. And lonely. I especially enjoyed “like lilies on a coffin”.
I can feel the tiredness of 3 a.m. I can see those neon pale faces.
This has such a sense of place, Bjorn.. that is the storyteller in you coming to the fore in succinct creative ability. Smashing!
One of my favorite Hopper paintings, your words mirror it beautifully.
“one last effort”, so mechanical. Life can be so gloomy when lived by the numbers… And love, very likely nonexistent.
on the edge of closing —
like lilies on a coffin
with neon pale faces
reflected in the eyeless glass,
So perfectly captured, stripped down to almost bleakness, and sense of the futility of it all, the hope of/for an abatement from the taste of loneliness – looking for love (in all the wrong places?) – great little, tight piece of writing that is such a compliment to the Hopper painting!
How sad – a missed opportunity – or simply the wrong place. Rendered beautifully. 🙂
WOW. This is one of my favorites yet, Björn. You’ve told a rich story in just a few words.
It’s amazing how one picture can inspire so many poems – I’ve written two about Nighthawks. I love your interpretation, Bjorn!
kaykuala
but not much is said
except with sleepless stillness and
tea-spoon stirring
until they drift off in separated dreams.
Not easy to cement and wrap up what one may not like or desire! Easier to go separate ways
Hank
When a hook up feels like a funeral. I’m glad I haven’t had to deal with the singles scene in decades.
“like lilies on a coffin” Love that comparison. I haven’t been single since I was nineteen.
Hard core singles only there at 3am 😉