Good Enough
It is good sometimes for poetry to disenchant us — Robert Haas
Breaks my heart to see that smile
and know it’s not for me.
I know better than to play at make-believe
but I still miss the fantasy
of being more than good enough.
Every day I march past thick bromeliads in the tower’s lobby:
Deep-green and hothouse-reared,
rubbed twice weekly with Shultz’s Leaf-Shine polish
by a man who spends his breaks napping in the service elevator,
wilting slowly in a sterile breeze.
Recently, a men’s lifestyle blog called The Magnificent Bastard hosted a cocktail contest. Which I didn’t win. (The winners do look pretty amazing, so I’m not actually disappointed to be found wanting.)
Here’s my losing contribution:
Combine the juice of 1/2 grapefruit, 1 lime, and 1/2 lemon. Set aside.
Over Ice:
2oz. gin (Boodles, Greylock, Tanqueray, whatever)
1 oz. mixed citrus juice
1/2 oz. St. Germain
1 tsp Creme de Violette
Dash Bitter Truth Bittermens Grapefruit bitters
Instructions:
Shake, strain, serve up. Garnish with lemon twist.
Secretly Ironic 