Best Sober Up Poems
Leaves of the Dead
Les feuilles mortes
They fall like dead soldiers
Dreams knifed in the dead of night
It is as yesterday
Once more
Where love was kissing my cheek
Where hopes had dreams
One could see the blossom of loves desires
Leaves falling in the park
Autumn coldness brings the dark
Death marching towards winters fate
Young love broken at the graveyard gates
Ah now I am holding a cane
I have all but forgotten yesterday
I have no lovers
My friends have all but gone
To their designated places in the ground
Piano keys in soft lit lounges
I remember the vodka stingers and sultry singers
Telling me life was jolie oh so jolie
If only there was love…
Leaves falling in the park
Autumn coldness brings the dark
Death marching towards winters fate
Young love broken at the graveyard gates
At 3am, with burnt cigarette butts
If only there was love
When the metro finds it’s unwitting end
Reality and cubes make ugly paintings
There are only drunks
Dreamers and bums
Thief’s picking pockets of your final instructions
Leaves falling in the park
Autumn coldness brings the dark
Death marching towards winters fate
Young love broken at the graveyard gates
If you can sober up and face the poverty
Of your empty aspirations of hope
Come to the bois de Vincennes
Where Kings and Queens danced and dined
What better place
To splay the butter
So that the knife slides smooth
Whilst the sun fades kissing the seine
Autumn leaves will fall
Dead again
Leaves falling in the park
Autumn coldness brings the dark
Death marching towards winters fate
Young love broken at the graveyard gates
Categories:
sober up, french, imagery, music, paris,
Form:
Lyric
The sky turned stygian grey, violent winds blew.
From above, tears of liquid grief poured down.
Flood waters rose, pressure got built under the soil.
The earth erupted with rocks and buildings,
Coming down with a deadening sound, not once
But thrice in the wee hours of the night.
After the day’s hard toil, those who lay down to sleep,
Were swept away without a moment’s notice.
Two populous villages with hundreds of houses,
And public buildings vanished out of sight in seconds!
A landslide of horrendous magnitude came,
Shrieking like a fiendish banshee....
Sweeping away habitations and the belongings.
In the place of lush green vegetation and towering trees,
Nothing remains but a heap of rocks, stones and debris.
Their voices are forever stilled, their dreams, shattered,
Those who survived the tragedy face the greatest trauma.
With sobbing hearts and a vacant stare, they search,
For the dear ones missing, a grief hard to bear.
The sight of pet dogs sniffing for their masters
Under the slush and debris is so heartrending!
***** ***** ***** ****** *****
After two days, the pouring rain stopped, the sky became clear
Now the earth lies in dreadful silence like a graveyard.
The rubble lies heaped where homes and buildings once stood
Help is pouring in from all quarters of the country.
The initial shock has begun to wear away as reality has set in.
The dreadful numbness gives way as grief takes hold
People sober up from the initial shock and get ready
To have a foothold, knowing well that long nights are ahead.
Reeling minds with no balance, now regain some equilibrium.
With cautious steps through the ruins, they plod with resilience.
The affected people and volunteers work in unity,
To regain what has been lost, though it is a herculean task,
To darn and repair the torn land to make it fit for living.
Man has an ability to sober up and emerge like phoenix,
From the pit of ashes, healing, mending and finding his way.
Categories:
sober up, angst, death, depression, moving
Form:
Free verse
"Possums on the Run - Part 2"
No ice cream,
cupboard’s bare
ultra Fahrenheit sun,
hang out the clothes
do the dinner run,
setting table,
setting sun,
Can of Irish Stew, mashed potatoes,
Baked Beans, toast -
no Sunday Roast -
cordon blue, delectable, what fun…
Fruit Bats flying,
Yellow crested Cockatoo screams
Pink Galahs are joking
Kookaburra’s laughing
rabbit in the back yard again
where’d it come from?
Shakes her head, thinks,
“It’s escaping, it’s on the run”.
The other two are dying,
they’ve gone awol,
jumped the fence
drank the Mick priests’
alter wine and then some,
time to mention
the box of Dad’s Wine Club
she thinks, “ bloody hell,
they’ve gone wild. Why me?
Why am I left with
the Primary School Club?”
He’s gonna be home soon
she turns the shower on
stands them up quick,
cold water rushing down,
anxiety sets in thick,
adrenalin rush
heart boom-boom-boom
“Quick!” she cries, “Quick!”
stand them up under cold water
in the shower, “Quick, Quick, Quick!”.
“Come on l’il sista”,
the kid’s laughing,
like it’s fun
sober up before Five,
he’s gonna be home soon
“god! The Father
and the son…
We’re Done! Done! Done!”
Flyscreen door, mosquito coils
here comes the Kimberley’s roar
it’s 5pm,
all looks normal
li’l sister sitting up sober and brave
table’s set, dinner’s ready
where’s the other one?
She’s laying flat out,
counting zzzzz’s
'cause she hit the ruddy rum!
Shake her, wake her up
the King is home, surf’s up
din-din’s on...
Steak N Kidney Puddin’
from the tin
“Wake Up! Runi-B-Kahrun,” she
whisper-screams on the run
to the dinner table,
“get quick to the kitchen, run, run, run!”
Small town blues
bugger it, bugger bum
(Aussie Slang nothing
nefarious) run, run, run
That was yesterday
table set, dinner done
debate around the table
“Tids”, he says with concern,
“you're looking rather piqued, better
go rest some”.
Another day is done.
(Lovejoy-Burton/2018 Jan)
1. Simple Minds/Everything She Said
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2uqUjJQwGY
Categories:
sober up, childhood, father daughter, journey,
Form:
Free verse
The most imperfectly
Compatible almost-couple…
Framed in unwanted proximity
Coated in fool’s gold
In worst case, we’ll hold onto each other forever
You’re always just a drink away
Along with every Honey that ever came by
You’ll end up on the bathroom floor
Crush the ice between your teeth
And smile as it melts in your mouth
Don’t provoke me
I’ll get you back, just you wait
Let’s invent a new game
‘Cause this is as good as it gets
Baby, this is our fun
Someday you’ll sober up
But for now:
We’re Martha and George
And I just killed our son.
Categories:
sober up, love
Form:
Little donkey
Legs are wonky
He’s been on the beer
Little donkey
He’s gone wonky
Full of Christmas cheer
Been a long night little donkey
You need to sober up
If he arrives on your doorstep
Be warned that he’s half cut
Little donkey
Eyes gone wonky
He’s had too much beer
If he heads to drive a vehicle
We have much to fear
Any one who drinks and drives …. really is an ass
Jan Allison
20th December 2014
Categories:
sober up, car, drink,
Form:
Rhyme
Life before love....how did I survive?
Living on the edge and running for my life
looking for something....what I didn't know
people to see and places to go
running on empty....flying high
some nights I danced; some nights I cried
loved some and lost some too
too many bad memories to sober up to
so I stayed “medicated” most of my life
it seems I needed to; to get me through life
all of my days seem such a blur
I tried not to feel..but when I did it hurt
I know without a doubt my kids saved my life
of all that was wrong....they were what was right
every ounce of strength I had came from their love
then God sent his blessing from above
out of nowhere came my handsome prince
and wouldn't you know....i've been happy ever since
so if this story shows you anything at all
you never know where broken pieces may fall
Categories:
sober up, life,
Form:
Dramatic Monologue
Remember back when you were a kid
Every day was a wonderful adventure
Exciting things to explore and investigate
Do frogs have pearly white dentures
Or why do elephants weigh so much
Weight Watchers might do them some good
What about a nasty old lion's bad temper
Did they not have a loving childhood
So many questions, I'm full of questions
Like why are most horses so nice
They never get upset when a bridle's put on
But heard one kicked a man twice
Then there's the sweet old teddy bear
Some have vowed they've never heard 'em talk
I got news for all you doubting Thomases
Sometimes they even go for a walk
Found some hootch down in the basement
Twenty year old brandy I suspect
When I sober up and read what I wrote
Might swear off the booze by heck
© Jack Ellison 2014
Categories:
sober up, humorous,
Form:
Narrative
By Then It Be To Late
By Roy Merritt
I suppose it isn’t just people subject to intoxication
If your citizens all taking toxins apt be your nation
How eager a man be to martyr himself for a fool
How easy he lose his morals how easy he be cruel
It could never happen here that’s what I read
At least that’s what the title of Lewis’s book said
But indeed it did a huckster came to power
And led the nation from its principals turned them bitter, sour
H. L. Mencken said it best his words befitting of the times
His opinion of the common man how Mencken him defined
Democracy but a theory the common know his desire
And deserve it good and hard and never to retire
For no man ever went broke that underestimate
The taste of the average man his wont of crude debate
And though full of Puritan lust a fear haunts him long
That some be enjoying his life, family, love and home
Of course they not his words I merely paraphrase
But I think Mencken excuse me if he about these days
Give me some courtesy the benefit of the doubt
I essentially said the same thing he was on about
So lets see what we’ve got after four years of deception
Whether we sober up and develop some true perception
Whether we like many nations recent, in the past
And succumbed to tyranny fall victim to bombast
Many in times of pain when in depths of despair
Will fall for a fool's words and follow him anywhere
Will follow everywhere follow him to their doom
Will follow a lunatic who promise to end their gloom
They’ll follow him down the road follow to the abyss
And none along the way realize something be amiss
We love our leader they declare as poison they imbibe
And drink they will like Socrates the potion of suicide
Oh this hemlock simply fine it does me persuade
And I’ll enjoy every drop of it even unto the grave
But once beneath the ground and he has sealed his fate
He has no chance to recover his senses by then it be to late
Categories:
sober up, angst, anxiety, confusion, political,
Form:
Rhyme
Alcohol can numb the pain
But it's not the best thing for it
So have a drink and have some fun
But please don't over do it.
It's can be so addictive
You may need it everyday
But when you finally sober up
Your problems haven't gone away
Some say it is in your genes
Others say it's just being weak
Either way it is an addiction
It's help, and advice you really seek
Life long abuse will destroy
Everything you ever had
When your health deteriorates
Your family will be sad
I'm not saying don't have a drink
It's safe in moderation
But drinking vodka at breakfast
Won't get you admiration
Liver failure heart conditions
Symptoms you may get
To many people gone before
Some you've never met
Alcoholism is hard to beat
It's a drug that's legalized
If you keep drinking like you do
Your internals will be fried
Family and friends are there for you
To help you beat this sordid addiction
You will then realize, alcohol kills
This is FACT not fiction
Categories:
sober up, addiction, divorce, drug, health,
Form:
Free verse
That pen just lies there on the pale white blank pad page__no activity; that sorry pen has O D on something dangerous_passed out_hardly breathing..Come on pen sit up_here sip on this strong coffee..That's it click, look around, life is active, inviting_write it down..Come on now_here eat up of these grits and red-eyed gravy; now that is an eye opener..You've slept through the last rose of summer that was deep burgundy long stemmed on the bush. You missed that lucious kiss under the pale pink rose that on the trellis grows. Winter is coming on, sober up, get busy for you missed the Hummingbird sip nectar from the Wild Petunia then fly away leaving hundreds of Yellow Butterflies to get intoxicated upon its blooms..So you say you are awake now..Here let me kiss you beautiful ink flowing 'pon the page!
I think my pen OD on chocolate though!!!
Sponsor: Joann Grisetti
Contest: Drunken Pen Round 2
Categories:
sober up, funny, introspection, life, kiss,
Form:
Prose Poetry
Horse Story
Whatever you do a horse will not be accepted in
bar or an inn, our horse after hours of ploughing soil
was give beer to drink, this because the home made
beer the farmer had brewed wasn’t any god.
The horse drank deeply but after a rest it got truculent
and refused the harness, The farmer gave it more
beer to mollify the horse, but no this was a day when
it said no. The horse trotted to the nearest town
found an inn and asked for a beer, deep silence, drinkers
joined AA, no good for business the innkeeper called
the police and got a the horse back to the farm where it
had to sober up in a field tied to a tree, and the farmer
had to pay a fine for giving alcohol to an animal
Categories:
sober up, blessing, cheer up, giggle,
Form:
Blank verse
Losing Proposition
Alcohol can really wreck your life
The list of friends will constantly shrink
It cost me my job,I lost my wife
So I tried to sober up,then think
Oh hell,just have one more little drink
Hard Choices contest/Dr. Ram Mehta
Greg Hoffman 6/16/2014
Categories:
sober up, addiction, loss, poems,
Form:
Quintain (English)
My pen remains drunken yet does not stumble
A functioning lifeaholic somehow agressively humble
Mixed drink of choice reality with a shot of enlightenment
Often it speaks through unslurred words it seeks out excitement
Exposure to these street games but it holds its composure
Still unsure it may be claimed so searching for closure
Ability to regret lost somewhere within the ink
It cant even object no matter how strong the drink
It has multiple epiphanies
Like instruments in a symphony
A rejoice that will not be muzzled
Choices that leave some puzzled
It goes beyond tunnel vision and exposes facades
It sees beyond our own dimension feeds on applause
My pen will never sober up I call it a lush
It patiently takes sips of life theres no need to rush.
Sha'ntez Jefferson
Categories:
sober up, confusion, fantasy,
Form:
Free verse
Horse Story
Whatever you do a horse will not be accepted in
bar or an inn, our horse after hours of ploughing soil
was give beer to drink, this because the home made
beer the farmer had brewed wasn’t any god.
The horse drank deeply but after a rest it got truculent
and refused the harness, The farmer gave it more
beer to mollify the horse, but no this was a day when
it said no. The horse trotted to the nearest town
found an inn and asked for a beer, deep silence, drinkers
joined AA, no good for business the innkeeper called
the police and got a the horse back to the farm where it
had to sober up in a field tied to a tree, and the farmer
had to pay a fine for giving alcohol to an animal
Categories:
sober up, blessing, cheer up, giggle,
Form:
Blank verse
I was at a party that very unforgettable day
My hosts were really asking me to stay
But I told them that I should go on my way
Go home, get to bed and sleep it all away
So I bid them good bye and got in my car
My home wasn’t really all that far
Then I heard something that sounded so peculiar
Whispering voices that sounded so bizarre
I started shaking feeling a bit afraid
Wishing inside for the voices to fade
I tried to ignore it and fervently prayed
But inside the car the horrible voices stayed
I looked to the right to watch out for my exit
I had to get out cause I was already at the edge of my seat
I might have an attack by the rate of my heartbeat
Took a right so I could find an inhabited street
But what I saw instead was so amazing
I saw a couple of moonbeams dancing
Then I heard a loud siren screeching
One of the moonbeams now was steadily nearing
Then I heard the moonbeam in a loud voice speak
What I heard shocked me, made my knees go weak
I started feeling in the stomach very sick
I covered my eyes from the glare and tried to take a peek
Saw a tall shadow standing there asking
Sir how much have you been drinking?
Didn’t you see the sign before entering?
Maybe not cause you’re drunk by the way you are acting
And please turn off your car radio sir
It’s not giving out anything but a sound that’s a blur
Next time you should stay where you are so this won’t occur
Or better yet hire yourself a real good chauffeur
I was so embarrassed on what I had found
I just entered the CIA compound
I wished there was a way that I could just turn around
All this was really making my heart and head pound
So I stepped out of the car and started apologizing
Couldn’t really tell him about the moonbeams dancing
For a chance to sober up and drive home I was begging
And promised to never again go driving when I have been drinking
Categories:
sober up, funny, car, home, car,
Form:
Rhyme