13

13 bottles sitting on the wall
Suddenly there are twelve
But I didn’t hear the first one fall

12 bottles sitting straight
Now there are 11
The twelfth exploding in seething hate

11 bottles sitting in a row
Unperturbed by the passing of time
They sit patiently, their colour fading but they’re dreaming of a time long ago

11 bottles sitting, suspended in time
Out of nowhere another one falls.
Now only ten more until you can be mine

10 bottles bargaining for a space
If only I had cherished them better
They would be in some other, less loveless place

9 bottles sitting sadly, they’re all alone
They don’t know where the tenth went
I listen in hollow emptiness as they wail and drone

8 bottles sitting, pensively they ponder
Unmoved by the whistling winds
Mentally they toss, they turn and they wonder

8 bottles framed in thought
Someone wakes me, tries to shake me
The eighth tumbles, it cannot be caught

7 bottles sitting tiredly
I waste my time with words
In vain hope of an end I fail to foresee

6 bottles sitting steady,
I feel too light
The wait suddenly too short - I am unready

5 bottles bitter in the breeze
Panicked I collect the shredded shattered shards
I try to reassemble the pieces but they cut raw my bloody hands and knees.

4 bottles, deep breath
A silent prayer written on the wind
As I hope, I pray, I beg for death. 

3

2

1 final bottle sitting silently staring impatiently at the clock
Its hands stuck firmly at 13:00, unmoving
Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. 

Tick

Tock.

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

A comment has not been posted for this poem. Encourage a poet by being the first to comment.