Barroom Conversation (Poetry)

The sound too low to surface
above the lazy drone
of indifferent conversation
besides, few are watching
the wide plasma screen’s
rolling landscape —
the fast-forward clouds
thinning for the camera
the mountains and forests
hold no interest for those
intent on the beauty of beer.

A finger somewhere remote
presses a button and changes
the channel. The volume goes up
and eyes suddenly swivel —
chairs scrape and attention
is fixed on that colour-soaked
rectangle busy with players
and shouts from the crowd
stir the viewers to yell comments
until the bar erupts — a goal
animates to frenzy those who’d sat
ignoring natural wonders —
idly contemplating froth and bubbles
only half an hour or so
                                before...