January, 1962

He awoke in a cold sweat
to those old sounds of heartbreak.
his brother at his side screaming
"this isn't your fight".
but that rush took over his head
and he came to his mother's side.
and he found himself alone with that devil rambling.
"oh, well the money's all gone
and she can't pay the rent with that needle in her arm."
he clenched his fists.
"what did she ever do to you,
but raise us by herself
when you were too drunk to come through?"
he took a swing.
"that's some nerve you got kid."
"yeah well they'll put that on your tombstone
as the last thing that you said.
I never wanted to kill a man,
like I want to kill you, man."
the years of pain boiled over,
trading blows across the counter.
and when that devil was down
he grabbed for his empty old friend jack.
he caught his eye as he took his last breath
and that vice went to his head again and again
and again and again and again and again
"dear god what have you done?" cried out his mother.
"that devil drunk was no father.
another name on a list
for unpaid bookies and gambling debts."
that spiteful stare of his brother.
"I ain't no forgiver forgetter.
I'll make you pay for this, when you least expect it."
he washed the blood from his hands,
kissed his mother and stepped into cold night air.