Bottoms Up

      by Michael Dylan Welch, Julie Emerson, Lynne Jambor, Brenda Larsen,
      Jacquie Pearce, Angela Naccarato, and Vicki McCullough

First published in Prune Juice #25, July 2018, page 69. Written 14 April 2018 at the Shaughnessy Restaurant, VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia, after the first day of the 2018 Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s Sakura Days Japan Fair.

pinning the tail . . .
a smoothie spilled
at the birthday party                                                                      Michael

        the same coffee cup
        her lover drank from                                                              Julie

he chugs
the last of the club soda . . .
designated driver                                                                          Lynne

        scotch & water
        the taste of metal                                                                 Brenda

mai tai on the beach
she takes a sip
from her daydream                                                                       Jacquie

        the night is now over                                                            Angela
        Moscow mule                                                                       Vicki