Russian roulette

Life is taking chances. We will fall many times. If we are lucky. We will know peace one day.

                                  Russian roulette

Beautiful young woman dances on a stage on the border of Austin.
Moving like a butterfly in the breeze.
Holding the attention of the men holding tight to good whiskey and the gin.

A religious man sits with me drinking Jack Daniel straight.
He is telling me the rapture is coming and  it is too late.

I hold my whiskey tight.
Watching the young woman on stage.
I waved a five dollar bills. She come near.
Brought my face close. She whispered. "Thank you Johnnie. You are a gem."'

The darkness had overtook me.
I told my sisters many ways to die.
Can play Russian roulette with a mirror or slowly poison the blood and the mind.
Fast death or slow. Old world is playing Russian roulette with us anyway.

I watched old Soldiers die from wounds by the old wars.
They drank for themselves and friends lost in the dirt of Korean and Vietnam war.
The old boys didn't complain.
I watched many die and I wonder would they repeat their life as it was?

The girl with the big blue eyes sat on my lap.
She asked for me to read her a poem.
I laughed and told her. "I will write a new one for you my blue eye princess."

I ordered a Jack with no ice and a coke for my dancer friend.
I asked her does she want a love poem? An erotic  poem or a poem of
misery and chance?
She smiled and kissed my cheek. Requested a poem of misery and tears.

        Russian roulette

The gun is loaded.
Old heart is gone.
Nothing is left.
I roll the chamber.
I know there is three bullets in my father's old 32.

I pray for one damn good reason to be alive.
No-one answered. Nothing appeared in my mind or heart.
The silence mean there is nothing left.

Old 32 pistol is very old.
Dad carry the side arm for 30 years.
It had been sitting in a safe place waiting.

I hold the gun in my hand.
Was it a savior or a bad ending?
I drink from the bottle of Black velvet.
I looked to the sky.
Told God. No Russian roulette today.
Ain't a good day to die.
 
The end.

I asked my beautiful dancer.
Did the poem have enough misery and sadness?

My friend lay her head into my chest and soft tears begin to fall.
She whispered. "Yes it did. Please don't leave my kind and sad Poet."
I told her. I will stay as long as you need me near.

                               Coyote

Author's Note

I was a Soldier for 15 years. I traveled to the four corners of the USA and most of this world. I met good people. Many people become part of the wood work. Invisible to the eyes of regular people. I was saved by them.

Reviews

[Roshan Nair]

I didnt know you were a soldier my friend. I have come to respect this post all the more now and it means all the more to me. I am a great supporter of the soldiers life and am an avid reader of war literature by veterans, albeit my exposure is humblingly limited to a few books on NAVY Seals. here's my other non-poetry based blog where I have written about them, check them out if you feel like it: http://neo-nair.blogspot.in/2015/01/chronicles-of-worlds-most-elite.html

Your words paint a life in themselves here. It really connected with me. The emotions and degrees of them faced by soldiers is something the world always struggles to empathize with. Great job with the piece!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Roshan. I appreciate the comment. I will check out your blog site. Being a soldier was a small part of finding the bad edge. All people have battles to be fought.

[Astrid]

Beautiful, eerie, and saucy. I love the poem within the poem :)

5th stanza, last line: "would they repeat their life as was?" you should add a "it" after "as"
9th stanza, last line: "The silence mean they is nothing left." change "they" to "there"

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Astrid for the help. I do appreciate.

[BL]

I think your multi format layout is great. A poem within another makes it all the more real. I can imagine the scene as you have described its content very clearly.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you B. My Texas poetry is my favorite.

[Valentine]

My brother and brother-in-law both served over their twenty and retired. Both have seen war and very bad times. Back them men came home in as bad a mental shape as they are today but it was not as well advertised. My one brother sought solace with a female who helped him have some happy memories.

[Coyote Poetry]

All of us need help. A good woman can change a man. Help him forget the bad places seen. Thank you for reading the poem. I appreciate the comment.

[Bluefire]

"Moving with the movement like a butterfly in the breeze."
Suggestion-> Moving like a butterfly in the breeze."

"A religion man sits with me drinking Jack Daniel straight."
Suggestion-> "A religious man sits with me drinking Jack Daniel straight."

"The girl with the big blue eyed sat on my lap."
Suggestion-> "The girl with the big blue eyes sat on my lap."

I laughed and told her. "I will write a new one for you my blue eye princess."
Suggestion-> "I laughed and told her. "I will write a new one for you my blue eyed princess.""
~*~
Favorites:
"Can play Russian roulette with a mirror or slowly poison the blood and the mind."
"She smiled and kissed my cheek. Requested a poem of misery and tears."

"Russian roulette

The gun is loaded.
Old heart is gone.
Nothing is left.
I roll the chamber.
I know there is three bullets in my father's old 32.

I hold the gun in my hand.
Was it a savior or a bad ending?
I drink from the bottle of Black velvet.
I looked to the sky.
Told God. No Russian roulette today.
Ain't a good day to die."
~*~
I love the story in this, it's amazing.
Well played! ^^

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for the help. I repaired. You are very kind for the edit.

[Bluefire]

No problem. ^^

[Thomas Skahill]

Great poem, Only thing I have to say is maybe make it is into it's in the second stanza, helps the initial flow in my opinion.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading Thomas and the help. I do appreciate.

[Megan]

This is a great poem. I didn't want it to end.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Megan. I appreciate the comment.

[Jamil Isimbabi]

nice poem. the description makes this story sound so true, like a narration, an experience

[Coyote Poetry]

We will live many lives. Make good and bad decisions. Most of my poetry based on truth. Real life is more scary than fiction. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Jamil Isimbabi]

yeah i believe so too. you're welcome

[Kristina Moulaison]

This is a great story, whether true or not. I love the tender familiarity of their relationship, like they recognize a kinship of sadness in each other. I love the solace that she finds in the sad words he relates to her, how he asks if they are sad enough to reach her. So good because it rings with such truth, that we are found in these connections, this kinship of pain that we all share. This was such a beautiful illustration of that. Loved her laying her head on his chest, that moment. We all need a safe place to lay our heads.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Kristina. I have been saved often. I have try to save people myself. You are right. We need a kind embrace and hopeful words.

[writ rajat]

very nice well done i become a fan

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for the kind words.