Damon Hubbs

Golden Banquet

after Robert Frost’s ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’

at the end 
of the bar, near where 
the payphone used to be 
& before that 
the cigarette machine

Ponyboy 
holds court 
with the regulars

his real name’s John 
nobody can remember 
why or when 
the nickname Ponyboy 
took

might be 
because he drinks Golden Banquet
or is always talking 
about some blonde 
he’s banging

didn’t stay gold
for long though—
motorcycle crash, wrong side 
of the tracks 
on Bear Spring Mountain 

beyond the end 
of the bar, near where 
the payphone used to be
a train whistle wails 
a lifetime 

& dawn 
goes down 
to day