One Shot
by
Lyle Berry
(Age: 61)
copyright 08-04-2004
Age Rating: 13 to 127
Picture Credits:
T’was in the month of August, a year since I’d been home;
My cat curled with me on the couch, and yet I felt alone.
I watched the tube, the cat watched me and snuggled in my lap;
The vodka took its toll at last – I faded to a nap.
I dreamed I was a child of yore; I dreamed of days gone by;
I cried out in my fitful sleep - afraid that I might die.
And when I woke, the daymares fresh – they scared me for awhile,
But I convinced myself once more, that I was not a child.
I tottered to my aging fridge and poured another splash;
I slipped upon the kitchen floor and landed on my ash.
My head I cracked upon the tiles, but I spilled not one drop;
Well, actually I spilled a few, but licked them on the spot.
Back to the tube, my mood improved, with every burning sip;
I lit a cig, inhaled and coughed – I’d lit the filter tip!
I ripped it off and fired it up, just like a Lucky Strike;
Oh, I could see, things getting worse, one hell of a sad night.
I channel-surfed, I cruised the net, more melancholy grew;
I realized I’d blown it all, my life was in the "loo."
I’d left three wives, I’d lost my son, I’d thrown dear friends away;
Now here I sat, me and my cat, without the guts to pray.
What god would listen, after all, I’m such a frigging liar;
I’ve broken all my promises – condemned my soul to fire.
I know what’s right and never tried to do what I should do;
So now I’m crying in my booze and sharing this with you.
You can’t go back and change the past – do things you should have done;
You can’t undo the sins you’ve sinned – this life’s your only one.
So as I stumble off to bed, this wisdom comes to mind;
You only get one shot my friends, so do your best this time.
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Lyle,
A poem that purges, and leaves the reader shivering, as the mind races.
I like the style of this piece, a smooth flow, the story unfolds among the bitterness and rhyme, leaving lots to ponder. And the cat...nice touch, good reference point for the reader to hold on to!
The Bitter as wormwood…and very true.
"Life can be understood backward, but must be lived forward." -- Soren Aabye Kierkegaard. One more…"Fall seven times, stand up eight" (Chinese Proverb). The Poetry is sharing. I like the way you do that.
You give me much food for thinking, Lyle. Thanks!
Lyle,,,,it seems if we shall not have but have but one admirer, each as to the other, I really love your style, and I'm elated to have me a new "puter", and get back in the swing of things, only to establish a little prosatic output,
yet I take solace in that I know I have one fan out there in cyberspace, and he has my admiration.....Barry
Welcome !
