The glass sits neat
On the elegant linen coaster
Golden liquid stares
Enticing and unrelenting
Fine crafted glass heavy and thick
Hard to hold in an unsteady hand
First swallow met with grimace
Harsh chemical sedative
Follows up smooth and woody
And makes it hard to resist
Glass doesn’t see the counter
Until it’s clear of liquid gold
Mirror behind the bar reveals
The toll of the tonic
Stagger into the street
Fresh air is welcomed but shunned
Collapse in a crumpled haze
And awake to a ringing skull
For a moment all was forgotten
For a moment the pain was dulled
Find the way back to the place
Where the moments faded
To blissful black