Alcohol

I looked for you

In the bottom of many a bottle

Broken, bent, wasted

Diving into the liquor

Searching for some

Alcoholic

Drunken

Djinn

A whiskey genie

Something

Anything

To grant my wish-

At least if I can’t have you back

Let me not feel anymore;

If only for a little while

 

Sinking deeper into

This sea of myself

Drowning in 90-proof

Crashing upon the cold

Unforgiving

Rock of an empty glass

The solid clunk

Of a dry bottle

Only a reminder

To grab another

Trying once more

To become

Comfortably numb

 

Where is my Xanadu?

My Shangri-la?

My Elysian fields?

Where might I find

Some fragrant

Forgiving

Balm of Gilead?

Or

Am I doomed

To constant memory?

 

Suddenly,

A soft tap

Upon my shoulder-

Turning,

Behold!

My genie

My djinn

My friend

My dealer

Stands before me

A sly

Conniving smirk

Upon his face

Mouth twisted into

A grinning sneer

As he speaks

Takes my hand

Leading me away

 

“Back again, I see

I knew you’d come,

Running once more to me

No worries, dear friend

I have what you need-

And the first taste

Is always free”

Reviews

[rutherford]

The short lines are effective, allowing the power of the words and short phrases to stand out. Captures the haunting and dark habit of what alcohol can become.

[Rita L. Sev]

A well written piece of harsh reality. We look for that "genie" to take away pain, but end up losing all feeling... Great analogy, well done!