Thirst

today started off as 

a fairly typical one

I woke later than I wanted

rushing to get ready for work

then testing the boundaries

of my driving and the V8

it’s five days until summer 

officially starts but

it has been in the nineties

for several weeks already

I die a little each day

huffing about in the stagnant warehouse

getting this and getting that

but only really getting closer to my grave

bills need to get paid

I don’t have the balls to be a drifter

although I think about it daily

five times a day the cargo train

chugs down the tracks right behind me

is today the day I think

knowing goddamn good and well

that today will not be the day

I love my bed

my family

and air conditioning too much

I finish the day and take a detour

my destination is my parents gravesite

when I was at my grandmother’s

graveside service in the same cemetery

I went to visit my parents gravestone

I noticed the weather had destroyed

all flowers and styrofoam to hold said flowers

I should have came on Mother’s Day I thought

that made me feel like a ‘real good son’

nonetheless I bought new styrofoam 

and flowers and placed them after work today

now I’m just sipping rye whiskey

from a three ounce sterling silver jigger

and downing cheap American beer

held by a Hosho McCreesh koozie

attempting to quench

my

deep

and

gorgeous

thirst