Best Liquor Store Poems
Love went to the liquor store
She bought a bottle
Drank until the bottle was dry
Walked on over to the hardware store
Where there she bought a hunting knife
Love sliced open my chest
Her hands grasped my heart
She had a hearty meal
Dropping her knife
She walked away in the dark
Love stole my heart
~~~ A Day In The Life ~~~
Up at dawn and off to work.
Garden center today , that was a perk.
Watched two hummingbirds in mating dance.
Almost embarrassing but I snuck a glance.
With an hour to go I'd had too much sun
so back inside until the shift is done.
Long shift over, off to the store.
Milk and Chinese food but I still need more.
Stop at the liquor store for some wine
and now this day is turning out fine.
Dinner is done and nap time is now.
That hour in bed refreshes somehow.
Now open the wine and pour a glass.
In front of the T.V. I'll park my ass.
We single women are fine on our own.
You don't have to feel lonely just because you're alone.
Tomorrow... I'll start all over again
but this "overworked, underpaid" can be a real pain.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
my day today 16 /07/ 2015
Cold reality and despair lay around the corner.
Humanity's unclean sleep on its hardened edges,
holding crumpled cardboard signs, asking for money.
Those who believe themselves above it all, hurry,
to get a greater distance, as though trapped by
a predator stalking them for their lives,
and as they pass, they never look back,
fear leaves no concern.
Around this corner is a road, lined by old,
crumbling concrete, empty stores, with broken windows.
It's a hollow corner where garbage lays,
some tumbling by the passing cars,
left to stay languishing until the next car passes,
moving it further down the street.
The only building in use is occupied by a liquor store,
that has a blinking sign where only three letters work.
Happier times for this corner never was,
and will never be.
Even the poor stay away from its cold path,
leaving it to slowly decay.
Hope, there is none, only words painted on concrete walls,
that no one will ever read.
Around this corner hides death and those with body bags,
to remove them from a place where those who pass,
are above it all, detached from this world,
concerned only for their hurried lives.
As they pass some leave a couple of dollars,
dropping it into a cold whithered hand,
telling themselves they did a good thing today,
as they move through a world of despair,
around the corner.
contest Around the Corner
10/17/14
Frederic Parker
"Well, how ya doin?" he asked
placing his foot inside the door.
His face became a sneer
as he recognized her fear
that only strengthened his resolve.
"What are you doing here?" she said
leaning her body against her side of the door.
She couldn't smile, didn't want to frown
as terror coated her tongue.
"Well, I come to see you, dahlin." he cooed
leaning lazily against the outside jamb.
"Dontcha think we could talk awhile .... "
"No!" she screamed. "No, no go away." she sobbed
pushing at the door.
Suddenly, he moved. The door slammed shut.
Inside she stood trembling.
He shrugged, turned and walked away smiling
having accomplished his mission
in their escalating war.
Slowly he drove away to a liquor store
and after putting a bottle in his car,
walked leisurely down the street to a gun shop.
In his gait was a little hop.
~~
~~~
~~~ Dedicated to all the men, women and children
who have lost their lives in domestic disputes ~~~~~
If displaced, found nowhere, but in water
of the retention pond,
no longer in V-formation, nowhere
in the bluest sky,
however, beneath and at the behest
of angels, ruled by God,
it is my greenest eyes that you swim in,
as I exit the highway.
This exit didn’t exist when Mom was alive,
nor the quick stop, QT,
that I pass by, so close to my dad’s house.
On a cul-de-sac, road’s end,
I pull into his short, straight driveway, push
open the door, unlocked.
I quick-tell my story of the seized geese,
it was only mine to tell,
of how I saw their takeoff as if they were planes
leaving the lonely spot,
their brief stay with only my mind and heart
to excite; somewhere lifting
into the gray, blue day prodded on by
a host of angels.
Dad doesn’t recall the retention pond; is
it nowhere
but in my imagination; oh no,
it is so real, beyond nowhere, somewhere
where his eyes can’t see,
for Dad drives straight to the liquor store,
prepared to see olives
in his martini; but he’s happy to see geese fly
out my retentive mouth.
We've taken off the gloves
the "mask"querade continues
a charade of lying eyes
scanning the dance floor
following the "arrowed" steps
viewing a world through fogging glasses
squinting warily at theories
collusion, conspiracy, "coronamania"
Fauci playing Faust
the elderly as pawns
in a political chess game
as children climb fences
to enter playgrounds
and liquor store cash registers ring
guard dogs circle toilet paper towers
the homeless want "venmo" contributions
lest they touch your filthy money
and God sits idly by
locked out of "His" churches
John G. Lawless
7/11/2020
My wife and I both worked at a video game store.
They closed and we're not working there anymore.
They closed their doors because of this damn Coronavirus.
We're unemployed and no other businesses are willing to hire us.
We got our twelve hundred bucks from the Government but we had to pay a hospital bill.
We're in a sinking boat and it's going down fast, I wish that the Coronavirus wasn't real.
Our families and friends can't help us and we need cash.
I'm so desperate that I'm about to do something that's rash.
I need money because I'm out of a job.
I'm in a liquor store that I intend to rob.
I just pulled my gun on the owner and he has grabbed his gun as well.
He just shot me in the chest and in a moment, I'll be sent straight to Hell.
My wife will get my life insurance money because I'm going to cease to live.
Please talk to my wife on my behalf, please beg her to forgive.
To the Dove World Outreach Center and Westboro Baptist Church
At the Sunday gospel meeting
Coded words of hate repeating
Welcome in if you're Caucasian
Enter not if black or Asian
Sheeple purple Kool-Aid drinking
For the ones who do their thinking
Giving up their right to question
For a soothing mind possession
You'll take no vino with the host
It might offend the Holy Ghost
So you'll save your Ray-Bans for
The covered drive-thru liquor store
Come sit upon the front row pews
Be born again to hate the Jews
All brother this and sister that
Unless you wear a bishop's hat
You handle snakes and speak in tongues
But you can't even spell in one
You know a single Spanish phrase
And that's "Habla usted ingles?"
You can abuse that Venezuelan
While you worship Sarah Palin
Who can stoke your fiery yearning
For a little Koran burning
You're the lily of the valley
At the LGBT rally
In the spirit charismatic
And the gun on automatic
Time to do some holy rolling
Just outside your place of polling
In each verse and chapter quoting
Clear instructions for your voting
* Title is from The Merchant of Venice - Act 1, Scene 3
ROSES
dead of winter
poor rose bush
empty branches
but it pricks me when i pass
just sleeping it says
my son asks
where do roses go in winter
for once i can answer
why to pasadena son
to the rose parade
rose
at fifty she was long gone
she’d pass a flower shop
but at the liquor store make a stop
where she’d pick four roses
Dave Austin
Chianti, Riesling, Chardonnay;
What kinda wine we gonna have today?
Pass that bottle, if you please -
I think I'll have a little more Chablis!
Swirl that stuff 'round in the glass...
Show 'em all that you got class!
Has it got the nose? Has it got the look?
Can you use it when you cook?
Wine, Wine, Wine
All hail the Grape Divine!
Wine, Wine, Wine
Makes everyone feel fine!
You got yours, I got mine -
Wine, Wine, Wine, Wine, Wine!
Sniff that bouquet up yer nose;
"What's the Year, d'you suppose?"
Could be red, could be white -
Either way, we're havin' wine tonight!
Truckin' on down to da liquor store;
Runnin' out - gotta get some more!
The folks at the counters all know my face -
I practically live down at the place!
Wine, Wine, Wine
All hail the Grape Divine!
Wine, Wine, Wine
Makes everyone feel fine!
You got yours, I got mine -
Wine, Wine, Wine, Wine, Wine!
Tokay, Shiraz, Pinot Noir!
I ain't never seen so many wines before!
Step right up and take a taste -
I ain't gonna let a single drop go to waste!
Wine, Wine, Wine
All hail the Grape Divine!
Wine, Wine, Wine
Makes everyone feel fine!
You got yours, and I got mine -
Wine, Wine, Wine, Wine, Wine!
Two am and something's gone wrong here.
It looks like I have drank all my wine, "I'm so thirsty", I can't
wait for tomorrow.
No shame, I shall drink Listerine.
Six am, this drink has me weary, I'm wasted, but my well has run dry.
To the liquor store, I walk down to the corner, I'm early and it's raining but I still wait there outside.
Mother dear, I am sorry I failed you, but your son has a thorn in his side.
When I was young you had such expectations, intentions, were not for you to cry.
Father sir, tell me why did you leave us?
A coward, man you ran off to hide.
I'm sorry sir that I never have met ya.
But if it were now, well, you surely would die.
Throughout my life I have made many wrong turns, I found my way although I cheated and lied.
I hurt someone who once told me she loved me,
and burnt the bridge as I left her behind.
The days are long as my train travels slowly,
closer, toward the end of it's line.
I made my choice and stand by my decision.
Denying remorse but with tears in my eyes.
They said a funny Latin word,
they said that you were dead,
yet merrily you wagged your tail
when I took you to the vet.
You were not kind to chickens,
as well the neighbors know,
or come to that, to ducks and geese,
and yet I loved you so.
Oh, to recall the bygone days
we roamed and roved together,
sometimes when snow lay all about,
sometimes o'er hills of heather.
Our walkies to the liquor store,
our excursions to the bar,
and all those times you led me home
when I couldn't use the car.
At night, I swear, an angel
looms in the purple sky,
and on a gently twinkling leash
you, Lady, lead on high.
Because of a jackknifed tractor-trailer up ahead,
vehicles on this highway has been stopped cold dead.
The radio traffic report came on a little late.
That is the reason for my ignominious fate.
I had to use the highway to get to the liquor store.
I ran out of beer, so I had to get some more.
Therefore, I will be stuck here for quite some time.
The way some people drive seems like a big crime.
Wait a minute! I see a female that is sublime.
She is in a little foreign job a few cars from me.
This attractive redhead appears as cute as can be.
Hello there carrot top! Yes, I am talking to you!
Why don’t you come over here and have yourself a brew?
The cob webbed city sticks to my dirty skin,
as I pass through its predator strings.
On the corners are hustlers, men with wigs and worn heels,
selling their wares, fighting with women,
over property rights.
Traffic moves slow, crawling along like a large slug,
melting into the blacktop.
Your eyes get accustom to waves of heat,
rising like dragons from the burning street.
The musky smell of filth singes the air,
while old men linger by drug stores and bars,
smoking old cigarettes they found, coughing.
Hey buddy, do you have a light, some change?
Still, I'm alone.
A wanderer, born from tainted soil,
surviving on wits and will.
Stopping at every liquor store and chili parlor,
searching for pennies.
Knowing each minute as a day,
as I stick on the soles of society's shoes.
A reminder they don't want to see.
That young is old when left to fend for themselves,
and evil is a weapon never born from a gentle touch.
Gray days are constant,
as life becomes motion with unintended reasons.
Stopping long enough to disappear in the city's web.
People passing by see only dirty shoulders and backs,
leaning against graffiti walls,
trying to stay out of the rain,
until the doors open and the soup line moves.
It's there I feel human, before wandering back,
to my rags and cardboard.
I'll try to sleep away despair as humanity passes by,
with their cold collective misunderstanding of misery and pain,
carried on the backs of the unfortunate homeless,
as we lay in the garbage of society's world,
crying without tears, holding on,
until we just let go and fall into the abyss,
where our bodies are then removed as Jane Doe.
contest A Poem Time Forgot
That goofball husband of hers brought her to this joint to see her get drunk for the very first time. She actually plugged her nose trying to sip her first glass of beer. Good grief. 20 minutes and she barely finished it. She walked to the restroom and I felt her teetering just a little bit. She likes the feeling though, I can tell! I sure liked it when she started boogying to the beat of the band on her way back to the table. Too bad Mr. dingbat won’t ever dance with her. She keeps tapping her hands on the table to the rhythm of the music. That’s why I have to write so slow. . . .
Now she’s tryin ta drink another beer but she can hardly stand it an her husband sez come on don’t ya wanna know how it fills ta be drunk? She says well at list I fill buzzd now. . .
The nice buzz wore off. It’s at least an hour later. She and hubbie got this idea to go to the liquor store. First time she ever went to one. She thought maybe brandy would taste better so then she could drink something stronger and know how it felt to be drunk. Brandy sounded sweet and fruity to her. Boy was she wrong. She took a little taste and it burned going down. That stuff sucks just like the beer. . . .
Wow she jus finisht tha hole boddle rily fast lik mebbie ten minuts ago so she kud fil drunk an she put me down ta finnish tha boddle in one shot now she kant evin kip her eyez opun UH ohhhhhhh
Epilogue: The preceding narration was based on actual fact. Upon consuming an entire bottle of brandy in less than ten minutes, "she" immediately passed out, and I recall she awoke in the morning having forgotten everything that transpired once she fell asleep. Furthermore, when she went into the bathroom the next morning and saw some flecks of vomit on the walls, she was quite amazed. Why? Because she had no recollection of throwing up, and she realized her goofball husband had actually attempted to clean up a mess in their house for the first time in their young married life!!!
By the way, Jenny, if you happen to be reading this, Shhhh. Please do not tell her other sisters. It would surely get back to you guys’ mother, and your poor upstanding church-loving mom might have a heart attack to hear of her daughter’s one transgression with the devil’s brew! Sincerely, Her Sober (albeit sometimes fanciful) Pen