The drunk is drinking again
the spark of life and energy
snuffed out years and years ago.
His eyes are small and stare at nothing
withered hands grope for the glass
the thirst must be quenched; as inevitable
as the itch that must be scratched.

The dim lights fade as the night approaches
the drunk still sits staring morose.
he knows behind him the young laugh
at the broken down old man all alone
well he was young too,once,long ago
and maybe he laughed at the corpses
hunched round the bartender's wares.

But then the slide began and soon
he was swinging wildy,drunk,bleeding
drinking gave him the confidence to be
the man that he'd wanted to be:free
from the thoughts that tell of something more
and he'd won a few fights; lost a lot more
laid a few women; most just looked away.

But that was when he was young and sure
unaware that for all it gave to him
alcohol claimed much much more
when he first felt the strange sickness
the one that made him feel near death
in drink; yellowed and beginning to rot
skin wrinkling and shrivelling
mind wearing away at the edges as well.

And now here he is;downing the last of the glass
the last of the liquid slides down his throat
the last of his years slips by him
he will die soon and he will die alone
he has achieved nothing and learned the same
but he is drunk; so none of that matters.

Keyword: In a Sentimental Mood

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Comments (5)

Posted by lemon 2008-06-28 19:25:35 .... wow I thought this was great. Your narration of the man's past and his feelings were very powerful. the last two stanzas were the best in my opinion. keep it coming =] + Report this comment
Posted by Pilgrim 2008-06-28 19:32:20 .... Good. The character seemed to become what he had at one time laughed at. I guess lack of experience can lead people to judge, but in my experience, those that I have judged I later became; that, of course, led me to judge myself even more than I had judged others. + Report this comment
Posted by Amatayo 2008-06-28 19:49:26 .... This poem did not do it for me. + Report this comment
Posted by Something Indecent 2008-06-28 22:18:50 .... This was pretty good. It seemed like it could've been a story but poems can tell stories too so whatever. I actually know some people that are like this. A 62 year old man who got kicked out of his son's basement and now mooches off his younger brother after living in his driveway sleeping in a van. I love alcohol but you gotta control that shit. + Report this comment
Posted by resistanceisfreedom 2008-06-29 17:20:32 .... i thought you did do a good job with the characters feelings like lemon said. stupid alcoholics...... + Report this comment

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