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Open Poetry #13
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Tequila Rose (repost)
| Open Poetry #13 |
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Tequila Rose (repost) |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
She sat on the same bar stool each night A pack of Marlboro’s on the bar to her right The smoke drifted up towards the ceiling fan She looked like an angel waiting for a man Tequila was her drink of choice After three, it did something to her voice Her laugh was throaty and grandiose The barkeep called her Tequila Rose After six drinks, she staggered to her feet Another night, without a lover to meet Waving to all, she left the bar And threw up in the parking lot, beside her car She went home, paid the sitter to leave Then kneeled by her toilet waiting to heave When she passed out, it was quarter to four In the morning her kids found her there on the floor Every night, the routine was just the same Every night it was to the same bar she came Ordered Tequila, one after another Drowning the sorrows of a single mother One night she met a man who gave her wink He laughed as he bought her drink after drink She blacked out at quarter to four Woke up at noon passed out on the floor Her car was gone, her money too She was hungover, didn’t know what to do The faces of her children swam in her head She felt like she swallowed a kilo of lead She grabbed a cab promising the driver a check Then rushed home looking like last night’s wreck The cops were there, taking her kids from their bed They were screaming loudly “my mommie is dead” She ran from the cab to set them all straight Crying hysterically because she was late “Sorry Ma’am” the police officer said “These poor little kids! Their mother is dead” “No!” She cried, “I’m their mother I’m here Please, just let me go change, let me have one beer” Then the door of her house opened wide And a sheet-covered stretcher was wheeled outside As it passed close to her, Rose lifted the sheet And saw the face she hoped never to meet It was she, lying dead on that cart! It was then she woke up, a pain in her heart. She ran from her bed and checked in the mirror Though ragged and tired, she found she was here A dream, she thought, a nightmare of course She laughed and laughed until she was hoarse! But that night she sat on the same bar stool Smoking a her Marlboros trying to look cool The smoke drifted up towards the ceiling fan She looked like an angel waiting for a man [This message has been edited by Poet deVine (edited 03-22-2001).] |
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| © Copyright 2001 Poet deVine - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Laced with wisdom Sharon ... sigh, until they are ready, some people just never will learn. Excellent tale, excellent message!  Best wishes, /Kit |
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WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
I had forgotten about this one. This is heartwrenching, and brings tears to my eyes. Many alcoholics don't heed the warnings such as that dream, but wait until it's too late. This is a great wake up call Sharon, and vivid imagery really brought this to life! Though tragically sad story.  <*\\\>< |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Yes, I remember this one well.... |
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Trillium 
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
This is certainly sad and in many cases, all too true, I'm sure. Betty Lou Hebert |
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
You have perfectly described an alcoholic...they are not in control the alcohol is...nothing else seems to matter...James |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
Hmmm...don't worry I am not Tequila Rose!  But actually, I do think I know her. And, the ability to metabolize tequila is a strange gift from god--and if you end up hugging the toilet, you are not counted among those duly graced. But truly a sad portrait of alchoholism--the major signpost of which is continued drinking in spite of negative consequences. And? laughing at myself here, my official diagnosis from the director of addictive disorders, LSU Med. center, 1992? was not alchoholism, but co-dependency! ????? AIN'T EVERYBODY??? Sorry, sharon, I rambled. Love the poem! |
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Sven
since 1999-11-23
Posts 14937East Lansing, MI USA |
this was one of the first poems that I read from you deVine. . . I still remember it. . . and it's still a powerful story. . . excellent. . . ---------------------------------------------------------- To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world. |
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tradewind Member
since 2001-03-25
Posts 101 |
you have written the story of so many people's lives. sad and true. enjoyed reading your work! |
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Dee Member Elite
since 2000-08-19
Posts 2330Queensland, Australia |
A wonderful poem, with an important message, Sharon. I enjoyed it. It's a shame I can't pass it on to a friend who needs it and he would get the message. But isn't that the way of things. Dee I wish you every happiness and may you always have the best of the good things in life. a brand |
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Honeybee Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-26
Posts 5372Ontario, CANADA |
*sighs* Sharon, I think it's time to add more poems of yours to my list of favourites! Along with "The Daffodil," this is one of your best! Thank you for re-posting this gem. I echo what every one has said, this is so wisely penned, excellent flow, rhyme, message, and very clever with flair. You should really enter this in a poetry contest, or to a local newspaper or magazine!~Take care, Melissa~ |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
Can I simply say wwwwwwwwwooooooooooooowwwwwww? *S* This is incredible, PDV... heartwrenching & real. |
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Panne415 Member
since 2001-03-21
Posts 104San Antonio |
PDV, I came in for the title & thought 'how cool, a good ol' fun ballad type' & then it got serious on me - bummer- but THIS was a great read & a great twist on the near-ending & the ending. Am so glad I caught the title. Thanks for sharing this. Panne |
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LoveBug
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-01-08
Posts 4697 |
Sharon, what a sad piece. It's so sad to know that this story is repeated every night with so many people. We all have realizations in our lives such as this woman's dream but, like her, many of us just ignore it and move on. Wonderful writing from you, as usual. Thanks for sharing.  "Men judge generally more by the eye than by the hand, for everyone can see and few can feel."-Machiavelli |
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vandana
since 1999-10-22
Posts 10463USA |
enjoy the read |
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doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
damn, girl! i got chills! what a sad sad story.... and quite a write of alcoholism and how it can blind a person to their responsibilities.... ... it's too bad that this may represent reality for some and i cry for the children.... i cry for them.... your last stanza floored me, when she didn't learn anything and went back to live the same desolate and empty life which could only lead to tragedy as her dream portrayed... thank you for reposting this... i missed it first time around... you are a fine writer, sharon -There is no Devil. Just God when He drinks. - Tom Waits |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Thank you all for your kind replies. Just so you know, I don't drink - and neither did my parents. I had a couple of uncles who drank and some friends who 'hugged a toilet or two', but other than those experiences, this is a work of fiction. Sadly, I'm sure it's not fiction to a lot of kids. And that's what bothers me...adults can screw up their lives! But when their screw ups affect the very lives of their children, that's when I have a problem. Again, I thank you for reading and replying.  |
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Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
yes, this is really needed, thank you for this one. |
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