things were brighter then, lighter then
or was it just my eyes that were 30 years brighter,
my body 30 pounds lighter?
it was the ’80s and it was the roost, the rose
the pape, the gandy dancer, flashback, heaven
all the sure-footed women
and the light-in-the-loafers men were there
it was lacoste shirts, sperry topsiders,
and polo cologne wafting out of both bathrooms
it was signing in at the dark front door
with a fake name and $5 cover, muffins and poppers at the deli
and a burger that was not the worst in town at 2 a.m.
music has never been better
you spin me right round baby right round
slice me nice / we got the beat /
it was boy george and bronski beat
and diana ross coming out in extended play singles
it was madonna getting us into the groove
and cyndi lauper’s girls just wanting to have fun time after time
and it was the boppy wham-bam of wake me up before you go-go
exuberant electric techno pop
somebody’s sons looking like somebody’s daughters
in high drag and haughty, naughty sequins
it was tweezed and tucked men
looking better in evening gowns than i ever would
bringing cher and barbra and dusty and tammy
into the dingy room in luscious lip-synched glamour and glory
it was dance dance dance
pet shop boys and west end girls; sheena’s sugar walls
it was bouncy pogo mobs out on the floor
hugging the sweaty swarm with one hand
waving drinks and cigarettes in the other
it was sports girls in white tanks and black docs
swaying, swaying to the irresistible beat,
drinking heineken and tasting like pepsin chiclets
when they kissed you; a tingling in your lower belly
when they blissed you
it was the cameo on front street
tacky foil on the ceilings and toilet perennially backed up
and we didn’t care, it was the only bar we had
it was a primal thumpa thumpa
and we needed to dance
we needed to dance
we needed to dance
it was the lotus, vancouver new years eve
$25 for a cheesy DJ and cheap champagne
and it was dreadful but it was all we had
it was all we had
so we put up with the S&M nun
and the midnight beef on a bun
and then it was 2 a.m. all over again
and we staggered on to doll & penny’s
where the eggs benny were not sublime at any time
but all the queens were there, makeup smeared and fishnets torn
and they always had a smile or a revlon sneer
and hot breakfast with a cold beer
it was the ’80s
and it was lighter
and brighter
and. we. danced.
I’m honoured to be among the writers on this year’s Alberta Literary Awards shortlist. My short story 
spatherdab 