gin

-Old man, you got that bottle in your hand.

What are you drinkin’?

Under the lamppost, dark and damp, what are you thinkin’?

What’s your story? Where’d your life begin?

Do the lessons that you learned go down easier with gin?

I understand.

This isn’t what you planned.

But life took a turn down some narrow road, you lost your way in the bitter cold.

Your beard grew long and your eyes grew old.

Broken soul.

Old man, you got those tired feet, walked a long long way, work all day to eat.

Your pillow is the ground, Your thoughts, gagged and bound, your hands, worn and beat.

Who’s the lady in the picture that you get lost in?

Your mind goes wanderin’, what could’ve been?

But life took a turn down some narrow road.

You lost your way, feeling bitter cold.

Your beard turned gray, your spirit stoned.

Broken soul.

–M