We stood out like sore thumbs
At the party we weren't invited to.
We were the inconspicuous sorts of gatecrashers
Just a dance, a drink or two.
(Or three, or five, or eight-
My father's lesson to me:
Don't let good drink go to waste.)
My cousin, myself, my friend Felix Longwater-
And all of us were high as kites
The Full Moon was burning at eleven fifteen
First laid eyes on my fate that night.
He was standing by the bar
Met his eyes and thought:
Didn't know they made blue stars.
Snakebite, stingerwhale, Tennessee Rush-
I lost sight of the room, the sound-
Met the eyes of the boy by the bar
was all I could do to stay on the ground.
At home I had a scarlet hen-
Thought she was a beauty
But I'd never known beauty
Before then.
His skin was white as paper
Those cheeks put the rosé in the rose
I tell you, he was a Virgin Killer, beautiful,
From his head to his toes.
His suit was sharp, shoes new
Met his eyes and his gaze
It was lucid, True Blue.
I was a zombie, staggered towards him
I didn't have to apply for his name,
He drawled Jack Rose, and ordered a drink
I was stunned. I ordered the same.
Party drink, Purple mist
Bet you can't swig this'un he said
Swallowed Scorpion Piss.
I found nerves from somewhere,
And stole an Angel's kiss.
Alabama Slammer.
The world stopped.
Felix Longwater grabbed me by the neck
Gotta get going boy, games up, time flies
Jack Rose watched our juvenile flight
That boy had New Orleans ice in his eyes.
Balcony-bound, he watched me leave
I tasted cherry, apple slice.
I'd become a shameless kiss-thief.
Paradise punch, pink passion.
Jack Rose was poison.