AlanCaitlin

Liquid Oblivion

Their lives could be
measured in shotglasses,
all that time spent
on barstools or lying
nearby, marked at home
by rings worn into
wooden coasters straight
through & onto, surface
of bartop, he in it for
the long haul, every
waking moment not
spent in the office
enagaged in pursuit
of liquid oblivion,
elixirs of forgetfulness,
all the libations from
lotus eating land,
songs of sirens annoying
distractions along these
ragged shores of his
own personal Styx,
the little woman along
for the ferry ride,
fully understanding
following the path
of liquidity was the only
way she could go with
him where he needed
to go, black circles under
their eyes like tree rings,
each new mark another
year spent in solitary,
whispering for the dark

Alan Catlin is retired from his unchosen profession as a barman, a job like any other though with more free material than most. His series of "Killer Cocktails" is ongoing and collections are still available from First Class and Lummox Red Book series and from the author who has the last remaining copies of Vol #6, among others. His next book is due shortly from March Street Press and will be called Self-Portrait of the Artist Afraid of His Self-Portrait. It has nothing to do with bars whatsoever.

Origami Condom will be publishing an online, for free chapbook of my poems called O'Keeffe Equivalents in the near future.

by Don Snell

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