Whiskey and cigarettes
The smell pervades my world,
Roiling together in a chaotic dance
I feel the rough seat of the stool
The chipped glass of the bar-top,
Every crack housing another sentimental tale of woe
Ashtrays caked with eons of vice
The dim light casts shadows like purgatory
Stretching out to unresolved eternity
Neon glows along the edges of my vision
The whiskey settles in my stomach
The smoke infiltrates my lungs
Thoughts flood my mind
Memories of her
She was beauty and tragedy
The light behind her eyes hid the demon in her soul
Tragic memories twisting every move she made
Abandonment and isolation
Hate and deprivation
The lethargy of neglect
Masked by her beautiful smile
Years of reckless abandon have taken their toll
But when she looked at me, Oh
That amaranthine beauty
When she looked at me she laid herself bare
A recaptured innocence
Looking to me for her penance
For a second chance at life
But some people
They can’t be fixed