Midnight sun of the red blazing “O”
in the window, a beacon for wanderers
looking to escape the cold, or thrown-out
drunks trying to keep the night-talk alive
until morning arrives like an express train,
because the coffee refills here are free.
The undergrad who works the graveyard
shift lets them loiter, but has to remind
them every single night that if they want
a refill, they have to buy a cup of coffee first.