I really like how specific this poem is-- you seem to evoke a real place. I think the form might be stifling it a bit, though. You're conjuring up such a fast paced, loud atmosphere, but the poem isn't broken up at all, and is mostly end-stopped. I'm going to do one of those line-by-line critiques, because otherwise I'm not sure I'll be making sense.
Charlie’s at 3am
Sweat beneath my fingertips As I trickle them across my partner’s naked back. Slick, sweet. Solid around me.
This might be purely subjective, but I think I'd like to see the poem start after these lines. The "I" never comes back, and this poem doesn't seem dependent on it.
The thumpa beat bouncing the dance floor As one hundred pairs of bare legs shuffle to the house music Pumped out offrom one hundred pairs of hidden speakers.
Here, I was playing with deleting words in order to quicken the pace. I also really like how the hundred pairs of legs parallel the hundred speakers. Neat.
Maybe add a stanza break?
Men blushing, as they grind against their partners,I think the syntax gets too complicated here. It can be fixed by moving this phrase At the words whispered/screamed love the slash into their ears, as they grind against their partners White fog hissing out ofhisses fromthemachines, Cold, sticky, and damp.
(So it might read: Men blushing at words whispered/screamed in their ears as they grind against partners. White fog hisses from machines cold, sticky, and damp.)
Here's where I think playing with form might help your imagery.
Blue,
red,
and green neon lights
Sweeping frantically
over the crowd, Sstriking the mirrors
and lighting up the bar Bbefore fading
to black again
for only a second.
The boys tending bar laughing At the drunk hag being escorted out As they mix another Jagerbomb.
The twink next to me Tweaking on Tina, sounds great Crying and laughing at the same time, One hand clutching his crotch, The other waving his cigarette like a flare. Great
Boys making out in the women’s washroom, Chasing the tranny out with laughter. Cowboy hats and leather harnesses Rattling against the wooden poles.
Wanna-be Studio 54 scene queens queens writhing on the boxes, No rhythm and no underwear Love this As they gyrate their Gucci jeans off their hips. These lines are strangely beautiful
And this is still the best place in town on a Thursday night, Charlie’s at 3am. I'm not sure about the last two lines. They might wrap it up too cleanly. The lines above these are so strong... I think they might be better. Maybe "still the best place on Thursday night" would work as a title?
no subject
Charlie’s at 3am
Sweat beneath my fingertips
As I trickle them across my partner’s naked back.
Slick, sweet.
Solid around me.
This might be purely subjective, but I think I'd like to see the poem start after these lines. The "I" never comes back, and this poem doesn't seem dependent on it.
The thumpa beat bouncing the dance floor
Asone hundred pairs of bare legs shuffle tothehouse musicPumped
out offrom one hundredpairs ofhidden speakers.Here, I was playing with deleting words in order to quicken the pace. I also really like how the hundred pairs of legs parallel the hundred speakers. Neat.
Maybe add a stanza break?
Men blushing
, as they grind against their partners,I think the syntax gets too complicated here. It can be fixed by moving this phraseAt
thewords whispered/screamed love the slash into their ears, as they grind againsttheirpartnersWhite fog
hissing out ofhisses fromthemachines,Cold, sticky, and damp.
(So it might read: Men blushing at words whispered/screamed
in their ears as they grind against partners.
White fog hisses from machines
cold, sticky, and damp.)
Here's where I think playing with form might help your imagery.
The boys tending bar laugh
ingAt the drunk hag
beingescorted outAs they mix another Jagerbomb.
The twink next to me
Tweaking on Tina, sounds great
Crying and laughing
at the same time,One hand clutching his crotch,
The other waving his cigarette like a flare. Great
Boys making out in the women’s washroom,
Chasing the tranny out with laughter.
Cowboy hats and leather harnesses
Rattl
ingagainstthewooden poles.Wanna-be Studio 54 scene
queensqueens writh
ingontheboxes,No rhythm and no underwear Love this
As they gyrate
theirGucci jeans off their hips. These lines are strangely beautifulAnd this is still the best place in town on a Thursday night,
Charlie’s at 3am. I'm not sure about the last two lines. They might wrap it up too cleanly. The lines above these are so strong... I think they might be better. Maybe "still the best place on Thursday night" would work as a title?