Puffs

At a later hour, at this late hour, as at any late hour, but no, at this particular late hour,

The quenching humor that meanness - o flashes of anger mixed with explosive laughter - can inspire

Fascinates me beyond measure.

Music can do that, but words, o stinging words, and violently waving arms

All combine to stage a theater after theater of cruel shows of verbal acrimony:

At this later hour, all combine to explode in a puff of sugar and salt.