The Drunk

OUT THE DOOR THE DRUNK STUMBLED
TWO IN THE MORNING, WAS KICKED OUT
THE BARTENDER HAD TAKEN HIS CAR KEYS
HE’D PROTESTED WITH INCOHERENT SHOUTS

NOW HE FACED A LONG WALK HOME
PULLED HIS COAT UP AROUND HIS EARS
STAGGERING DOWN THE SIDEWALK HE WENT
HIS BREATH REEKING, THE ODOR OF BEER

IN THE FOG OF HIS INEBRIATED MIND
HE SUDDENLY THOUGHT OF A SHORTCUT
A ROUTE HE HAD USED ONCE BEFORE
THROUGH THE ALLEY BEHIND THE PIZZA HUT

IN THE SHADOWS HE WENT HIS WAY
WANTING TO AVOID THE POLICE, WAS WARY
AHEAD HIS ROUTE WOULD TAKE HIM
THROUGH THE DARK, FOREBODING CEMETERY

WEAVING HIS WAY THROUGH THE STONES
HIS DESTINATION WAS IN HIS SIGHT
UNBEKNOWNST TO HIM WHAT WAS UP AHEAD
WOULD SOBER HIM UP THAT DARK NIGHT

A FRESH GRAVE HAD THAT DAY BEEN DUG
AND INTO IT HE STUMBLED AND FELL
SIX FEET DOWN, HE LANDED IN A HEAP
PANICKED, JUMPED UP, BEGAN TO YELL

THE GRAVE WAS HUGE, IT TOOK TWO PLOTS
WAS DUG FOR A SIX HUNDRED POUND MAN
BEING CLAUSTROPHOBIC, THE DRUNK WAS OKAY
TRIED TO COME UP WITH AN ESCAPE PLAN

BEING SMALL OF STATURE, HE COULDN’T GET OUT
IN A CORNER HE DEJECTEDLY SAT DOWN
HIS SHOUTS UNHEARD, HE FINALLY WENT TO SLEEP
IN A CORNER ON COLD, DAMP GROUND

SUDDENLY HE AWOKE WITH AN ABRUPT START
SOME ONE ELSE HAD FALLEN IN WITH HIM
SCREAMING, THEY TRIED TO CLAW THEIR WAY OUT
BUT COULDN’T BROACH THAT GRAVESITE RIM

STANDING UP, THE DRUNK APPROACHED THE MAN
HAND ON HIS SHOULDER, “YOU CAN’T GET OUT!”
WITH A SCREAM THE MAN JUMPED, WAS GONE
HE RACED AWAY WITH UNINTELLIGIBLE SHOUTS

THE DRUNK SHRUGGED, THEN LAY BACK DOWN
DECIDED THAT A DIFFERENT ROUTE HE’D CHOOSE
FROM NOW ON NO MORE CEMETERY SHORTCUTS
AFTER DRINKING WAY TOO MUCH BOOZE!

Tuesday, June 21, 2022