There is a pool table,
one encompassed by a pair of lovers' smoke.
She holds the cue incorrectly.
He takes her arms with his hands,
fixing her position.
She loves his (temporary) affection.

There are neon signs
illuminating their faces and
the illusion of love between
two uncomfortable bodies.

He watches her through smoke screens.
She pretends not to notice and
deliberately poses herself to look flawless.
He looks away and her posture crumbles.

Other tables host laughing and swearing from
smiling friends or couples clinking glass bottles together.
Their banter harmonizes with the
music blasting from the speakers and cracks of object balls.

There are raspy confessions,
ones born from liars' mouths.
There are stolen glances before
missing the shot.

She gets close to him,
wordlessly asking for a kiss, but
he takes a drag of his cigarette instead.

Featured art: “Interior In Red With Billiard Table” by Victoria Sukhasyan.