I sit with this empty bottle of pills.
I only have so long to tell you
how I feel, before they kick in,
and I am gone.

So let me tell you.

I never liked you.
Always tried to fight you.
You grew on me, nightly.
Wanted to light you up
and bite into you.

I did what I had to do
to try and get through.
You used to trip me
in the streets. I’d walk on.
You used to be friendly
but turned on me
Like a back-alley bully.

You made me sing,
made me feel I could.
You used to light me up
like backwoods.
You used to
but turned on me,

Now I am feeling low.
I take these pills
because of you.

Now, I am getting sleepy,
but I might want to tell you
when I wake up
that I’m done with you.

I’ll never let you
in my veins again,
trap my soul
in little rolls
divided up
line by line.

Never again.
When I wake up tomorrow,
I’ll do it different.
 
 

Jason Wright is the editor and founder of Oddball Magazine. His column appears weekly. His third book, Train of Thought 2: Almost Home is available now at the Oddball Book Store.