Nothing Good on the News — Poem of the Week

News–there’s always some. Lately not much good.

So let’s not talk about the tragedies in the recent news. Let’s talk about business trips and bars…

I’ve been on a business trip to New Orleans. And what’s always interesting about business, pretty much any business, is that there seems to be a lot of news, none of it reported well. A lot of new things going on, some of them interesting and some not so much.

Unlike the US or Global news stories, intra-business news tends to not be tellable outside the work group. Too many bits of background have to be explained, too many additional side stories told, in order for any one piece of info to make sense to someone from outside the team. And then after all is explained and done, whatever prompted that conversation feels anticlimatic.

I think this expains the popularity of bars. That, plus alcohol, of course. But you can sit at a bar and have a conversation with a bartender. And a good bartender can hold a conversation without you having to explain anything about what is new at work or why that thing you said was new matters.

When I lived in New Orleans, not quite in the age of dinosaurs, but still a long time ago, I was at that stage of life when I was impressed with all the glitter and sparkle that went with the city. That something extra, that lagniappe that seemed to come along wherever you went. A bonus, a surprise, a bit of oomph to life.

Now I’m more impressed with glitz done right, the kind that can stand up to bright lights if need be and doesn’t require darkness in the bar in order to hide the grime in the grout. And on the subject of bars…some may say that a restaurant and bar in a big chain hotel is a lousy place to get dinner. But here’s what I can tell you about those places.

One: go because they’re clean.

Go because of that alone. Romantic lighting or sun-flare bright, doesn’t matter, they are clean. Clean is good—as a general rule, but even more so in a restaurant. 

Two: pick a place that includes a local restaurant.

Not a big-chain hotel with it’s own no-name restaurant. Local places that get a spot in the big hotels are usually great—they have to be to get the gig. I went to Drago’s restaurant and bar at the New Orleans Hilton Riverside (not where I was staying). Drago’s has another place out nearer to the airport in Metairie, LA. See? Local.

Three: sit at the bar, order the house special appetizer, a side salad, and a drink.

House special appetizer in this case was charbroiled oysters. I ordered a half dozen oysters, a small Caesar side salad, and a glass of wine. The salad was fine—nothing special but also not too garlicky or anchovy-fishy. The oysters were fantastic — very smoky which I hadn’t expected, not at all ashy, and served with enough butter to soak into a huge length of Italian bread that came with the plate. And the wine was Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, so matching my plate in both taste and ironic naming.

Four: chat with the bartender.

Mine told me about a place that she went that served big fancy drinks in a half a melon (!!!?!) but after two sips her paper straw (leaving plastic behind, good idea ) fell to pieces and she had to decide whether to drink from her melon directly (how uncouth!) or ask for another straw. Another straw probably wouldn’t last any longer than the first, so you can guess her very practical, two-hands-required choice. She loved the presentation of a drink in a half melon, but didn’t love so much the execution. I’d give you her name so you could look her up if you’re in town, but while I was there they dimmed the lights to the evening ambience setting, so I couldn’t read her name tag.

Hilton has converted now to all paper straws and I am happy to report that after three glasses of ice water my paper straw was still good. Not at all soggy and therefore I did not have to risk drinking from the actual glass. (*gasp sarcastic gasp*) And the glass of Sauvignon blanc didn’t need a straw, so it was safe from disintegrating paper fiber all along, lol.

On my way out of Drago’s bar, I mentioned I would be in town all week. My bartender cheerfully said, “I’ll be here all week—today is my Monday.”

Well it was my Monday, too. And yours, almost certainly, because it was also the calendar’s Monday! Do I have a poem that goes with this story? Hmmm… not exactly. So back to the topic of news in general, and nothing good on the news in particular.

Nothing Good on the News

You want to know more about those spoons,
what was measured out.
Want me to dish the hurt and dirt and give
the bare metal view, scratched
though the scant reflection is.

The ugly-cry you’re after ain’t comin’
from me. Look to your own edges,
your own scarred future.
Mustard seed and dill weed.

‘Cause you’re in a pickle.

Don’t like the joke? Want me
not to make light of what sucks. Maybe
I should light the scenery,
drop a pretty painted backdrop in place.
Or perhaps I should bring a shroud?

Cleaning up what you’ve f-ed up
is your problem, not mine.
So what if I choose a sunrise focus?
My world, my poem, my desire
to knit with the yarn at hand.
Sustainable, that is.

Re-using what’s used me up.

If you enjoyed Nothing Good on the News

You’ll find more of my poems on this blog or in the collection Stars Crawl Out From Their Caves, which is available in both ebook and print.  

Missed a poem of the week? Links to prior weeks are on this page.