ONE MORE SHOT

And the stains upon the bar
Tell another sorry tale
Of love and loss and tragic lives
To drink, to drown out the wails

As another washed out soul
Seeks the solace of the glass
To wash away the memory
Of another broken pass

Another wheeler dealer
Another gambling god
Another weary player
Bet his life upon the sod

The rings around his eyes
Mark the toll and tell tale signs
The vacant stare, unshaven chin
You read between the lines

Just one more shot to hide the sting
Of a mind in moral meltdown
Another drink to hide the lines
Of another washed out frown

He staggers out to harsh lit streets
Head spinning on unsteady feet
He knows it's near he can hear the call
Just over the road, down past the mall

He shuffles on an unsteady gait
Cell phone ringing, who cares, it can wait
Blinded by the stinging tears
But it's not enough to allay his fears

And there it is in a hazy dream
The small footbridge over a lazy stream
He grips the rails with trembling hands
No point telling her, she won't understand

And just for a moment he catches a glimpse
In the soft flowing waters, it makes him wince
For the wretch he sees is not the man he knows
A stranger staring back from watery shadows

He finally sighs 
And with tears streaming down
He's leaning over
Feet leaving the ground

For a moment now he's flying
Alive and floating free
He doesn't feel afraid
Just a strange kind of glee

He doesn't feel the water
As it closes overhead
He doesn't feel the chill
For his souls already fled.

Dartherino
25th November 2013