Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
The man in front of me was about 25 years my elder,
clutching two 24oz beers desperately,
as if carrying children on Christmas eve.
I wanted to say, "Hey man... I'm an alcoholic, too,
and we don't deserve to be alone on Christmas",
but there were people around me,
and I don't talk to strangers.
I take a few steps forward as the line shrinks,
he moves in unison with me,
The closer I get the more obvious he becomes
He had matted hair with various shades of brown for clothes
One faded attempt at a pony tail bleached many years ago
resting unironically on unintentionally dreaded hair
I wondered if it might be my dad,
in clever disguise
I wondered if it might be me,
in the future
I wondered how he got here
and where he is going
I took a few steps as the line moved forward
Maybe he is me from the future?
Maybe he has nobody to talk to?
Maybe I should tap him on the shoulder,
just to tell him what I would have done if I were him,
if I were him,
if I were him....
only younger.
I shuffled forward in the line, dreamlessly,
He paid for his two beers and hobbled out the door,
I may never see him again,
and I'm not sure if I want to,
but I never got to say 'hello'.
(just a flow of thought poem I started writing in my head... at the grocery store... behind that man... buying alcohol at 5pm on Christmas Eve)
clutching two 24oz beers desperately,
as if carrying children on Christmas eve.
I wanted to say, "Hey man... I'm an alcoholic, too,
and we don't deserve to be alone on Christmas",
but there were people around me,
and I don't talk to strangers.
I take a few steps forward as the line shrinks,
he moves in unison with me,
The closer I get the more obvious he becomes
He had matted hair with various shades of brown for clothes
One faded attempt at a pony tail bleached many years ago
resting unironically on unintentionally dreaded hair
I wondered if it might be my dad,
in clever disguise
I wondered if it might be me,
in the future
I wondered how he got here
and where he is going
I took a few steps as the line moved forward
Maybe he is me from the future?
Maybe he has nobody to talk to?
Maybe I should tap him on the shoulder,
just to tell him what I would have done if I were him,
if I were him,
if I were him....
only younger.
I shuffled forward in the line, dreamlessly,
He paid for his two beers and hobbled out the door,
I may never see him again,
and I'm not sure if I want to,
but I never got to say 'hello'.
(just a flow of thought poem I started writing in my head... at the grocery store... behind that man... buying alcohol at 5pm on Christmas Eve)
