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Beer and Wine, Paint and draw, No Blue Sky


by Darryl Price


My friends stopped listening to music
as their skin changed into nano speakers, 
printed like spores on their phone's features. 
I told them, you know they only 
want to sell you something more. What, they 
said, we're not idiots. I still believe
 
in love, I said. You did, too, once. 
So what, they said, look at what we've got. 
It doesn't look like love, I said. It 
looks more like junk than fun. It's lovely 
new stuff, they said. We're winners of the 
All American circumstance, they 

shouted, dancing around. You do look 
rather haunted, I said, but where is 
that joy they promised you? The gags? In
the beer and wine, of course, they laughed, are
you stupid? I guess so, I said to  
no one listening. Write your poems  

and shut the fuck up. No need to worry 
about anything but the next 
metaphor, okay? We're fine. My friends
used to care about little things, now 
it's the big picture that really counts
the most. I get the feeling I'm one 

of those little things that don't merit.
My friends used to hate any kind of 
hate that hurt any other living 
thing. Time to grow up, they said, their eyes 
full of concern and worry. The world
is a very heavy wheel, they told 

me. You need to get a clue. Wake up.
My friends used to drive in snow storms to
get someone home safely. That's what I 
remember. I kind of feel old now. 
Friends would go to the park on a whim.
Here, they said, sing us a song. What's that 

one about waking up early to 
watch it all begin to look pretty 
again? You know the one. I forgot
I wrote anything with so much hope 
in it. Doesn't matter. It's long ago. 
Lost in fog. I don't know why that 

makes me smile, I feel sick. My friends are
busy with their lives. They are connecting 
the dots. My friends are bingeing shows. I'm
listing in the deep and writing 
scribbled letters to long ago ghosts. 
I'm still in some kind of pain. My friends

are checking off items on a bucket 
list. They've all scratched off, save the world.
I don't want God to damn anyone.
I'm ready, so let's go. Goodbye is 
too bitter of a word for this love.
All goes away, thinking, me and you.

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