Twenty Five Dollars

by Damion Hamilton

Most of the time, my life is filled with
Boredom, and melancholia,

But I will tell you about a good time
I had
It didn’t seem like I had one of those
In a long time
Well the girls at the club was taking
It off, and shaking it and smiling
Why can't the girls on the street
Do this?

And I sat down low wit valium
And beer
And this cute lil country girl from
Kentucky sat down next to me
Smiling and smoking her Newports,
Just made it to town
“well how do u like East St. Louis,” I asked
“well the girls here, don’t know how to pole
Dance. I did that for years back in Kentucky.”

She’s only twenty one.
When her time came up to dance, she invites me
To her table, and gives me the best table
Dance. Moving with that young frenetic energy, showing me
It all, putting it my face, and riding me hard in front of everybody
But I don’t like to be the center of attention
though
“can we dance in private after your set?” I asked her.
“of course, I need money I’m staying at a hotel. Jus
Let me know when you're ready.”
Well, we go back there wit the manager and DJ, watching
Us
We go slow, we go fast and hard, and she tells me
with that sweet but clichéd Southern accent, that riding
Me, is like riding a mechanical bull. "I don’t have to do any of the
Work, and you’re paying twenty-five dollars.”
But I like it that way, and afterwards she sits down next to
Me, smiling and laughing with that accent
Whether she likes me, or was putting me on, I don’t know
But some of the boredom and sorrow which saturates me
Has been lifted, for a time