Wednesday 5 March 2014

the elixir


stuck between
the moon and a hard night glow
at a backyard party

I knew, right away,
she was under a twisted spell.

responding to my pithy repartee
with blurry “yep’s” and “nope’s”,

she remarked, at last: 
you’re in a good mood, 
you should bottle that:
like a magic potion – 
and she raised a beer to her lips.

but as she went to take a swig
the drink fell,
rollicking to the grass,
and spilled, disappearing into the ground

. . . abracadabra – gone . . . 

there’s a message in that bottle somewhere,
she slurred – but smiled,
with a trace of her old affection.

she stilled, then – sad as a whiskey stare –
abruptly sighing, as if she’d set her mind,
and whispered:  

I’ve had enough. 


note:  the prompt from Poetry Jam this week is "bottle".  

photo:  The Elixir – W. Bourke 

© 2014 Wendy Bourke

34 comments:

  1. yes indeed she has had enough- hopefully she remembers that tomorrow.

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  2. Well, one day at a time, as they say.

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  3. ugh...there is a sadness in this for me...too many lost in that bottle...trying to escape/forget/remember...maybe she will find that message in a bottle...and life again...

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  4. Fate can sometimes influence events meant for something good. That hint may not readily be realized in some instances though. Quite true! Nicely Wendy!

    Hank

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  5. No, it may not be realized. If only wishing made it so. And welcome to my blog!

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  6. I enjoyed your bitter sweet poem, Wendy! I could visualize the scene as if it was one in a movie. And the ending is just perfect.

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    1. Thanks Gabriella. I thought, for a moment the ending was left hanging - but, when I thought about it, of course, that is the way of it.

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  7. I like the realistic scene you presented, Wendy. I'd like to think that the spilling drink happened for a reason. Perhaps THAT was the true magic in this situation. At least that night she realized she had enough; and hopefully she will also remember tomorrow.

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    1. Yes, these issues are extremely difficult to get on top of. And a little magic couldn't hurt.

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  8. P.S. That was also a fascinating photo you used!!

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    1. What would I do without my little museum visits. This photo, I really couldn't conceive of ever finding a place for. (It is from a display of a typical turn of the century BC family doctor's office.) It just goes to show you: when I started blogging several years ago I didn't even know how to operate a digital camera - and now I am inspired by pictures I have taken without any goal in mind.

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  9. Indeed ... that's enough .... this is such a powerful statement on more than one level, Wendy. Kudos ... as this will make many a reader stop and think.

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    1. Oh, thank you so much, Susan. What a lovely thought.

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  10. A sad world where so many of us have to resort to a fix to survive it....

    Shakespeare was right
    "Something's rotten in the state of Denmark"
    meaning we have turned the world into a shit heap.

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    1. Yes. That is the thing about this tough old world. When internationally acclaimed celebrities take themselves out trying to dull the pain of living, one has to wonder how the poor beleaguered masses are supposed to cope. And it, certainly, does give one pause about the direction in which this weary planet is hurling.

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  11. This is sad yet there seems to be a glimmer of light for future....

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    1. Well, I like to think there's always a glimmer. Smiles.

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  12. A well done vignette Wendy. The character, scene and mood all come through crystal clear.

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  13. Thanks, Jennifer. And again, thank you for your kind remarks. You keep me - and kept me - going though the dearth. Smiles.

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  14. Wendy, a sobering scene you painted here, love the way that you wove the conversation throughout, and a wise ending. The spilt drink was a perfect transition, metaphor? Well done :-)

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    1. Inserting conversation in poetry, I find, can be quite tricky, to pull off, so that it sounds natural. And so, I always pick up on it when I read poems from others that have included it. Thanks for noticing, Sara.

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  15. What more can be said? It's all there.

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  16. Yes if only one could bottle those good moods. I've had enough--really says so much. Good ending.

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    1. Yes, if only a bottle could hold a good mood. Though, many refuse to give up the search, it seems. Smiles.

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  17. This ends really well and it flows really well into the ending. I like how it works. Well done.

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  18. Thanks, Alan. I was a bit concerned about the ending. But, with this issue, the ending remains unwritten (never to be carved in stone) for the rest of one's life, I suppose.

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  19. I want more....well done story Wendy! :-)

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    1. Thanks Carrie. And thank you so much for joining my blog. I'm heading over to check yours out right now!

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  20. i love this Wendy--and yes, there could be more to this story!

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    1. Thanks Audrey. I guess - where mere mortals tread - that is often the case. Smiles.

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  21. You painted a vivid scene with poetry, Wendy.

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  22. A nice take on the prompt. On the bottle, message in a bottle, breaking the bottle and the cycle of drinking...

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