Despair

Mid-Summer- hot, no cooling breeze Bodies wilt like tired leaves Dogs lie panting in shade caves Man walks slowly, head down Heading down dusty road out of town Face carved by time into a frown Thinking ‘bout times past Wife left, she couldn’t last Children followed, moved out fast It was the whisky chased them away Cussing and yelling fighting every day Hit her one late night in early May Morning came, breakfast served like nothing transpired Went to work in them fields overly tired Got home late, shack deserted Note on the table with a loaf of bread Don’t follow us wish you dead Realization hit like a ton of lead Reached for that flask kept on his hip Put it to his lips to take a sip Heard that voice no more, don’t slip Into that fog again which brought you down Now causing you to leave town With you head down Set fire to that shack Flames heat your back Nobody cuts you any slack What if...you thought as you sat by a stream Watching your life slip like a dream Punctuated by a loud retort, no scream You slipped into darkness away from the light Into that final good night