Staring blankly,
All I see are glasses,
All half empty…

Chartreuse drips drop
Tip a tap a top.

Atop empty glasses,
And empty bottles,
On my empty table,
On my empty room—

On my empty house,
With no one else but me.

All I see are bubbles.

Frail.
Empty.

More like the reflections,
Of the sad sad face on every bubble,
Staring right back at me—

Frail.
Empty.

What if I’d just pop,
Whenever I’d take a drink?

Fated only of two things—
     To burst or to sink—

Staring bleakly,
All I see are shards.

Shards just mended together.
Shards made empty bottles,
Turned to empty glasses,

Reflecting the same empty face—
Just like glass shards…

Just broken.

I see that same forlorn face,
Behind all the alcohol bottles.

A spark quickly burning out…
Deprived even ash to even trace.

A fire that is melting…
Dying of thirst inside.

With all fingers crossed,
Hoping somehow beer could sate her drought—

All I see are bubbles,
So many bubbles,
But each single one just the same…

Frail.
Empty.

Drowning in ***,
Engulfed by *****,
Christened in whisky—

Sinking deep.
Deeper and deeper.
Down, down, down—
Always going lower,
Down, down, stop.
And then continues,
Colder, staler, darker,
Until I hit rock bottom,

Oblivion—

Pop.

W                            e                        s          ­   t             a           r          t         e      d            f       a       r          a       w     a      y      f    r   o   m     e  a  c h   o t h er now wehavenowhereelsetogobutruntogether but no o n e   r e a l  i  s  e   d     t    h    a    t      w    e      s    h   a    l     l       a      l     w      a       y       s         b        e         d        r        i         f         t           e        r        s         r      u        n          n          i         n        g            t      o       w      a       r      d         w    h    a    t     l  o ve nextoffers.

She loved nothing but her own face. 'Nothing compared!' The people shouted making her smile. But then she saw a woman in the mirror as white and fair as she and she cursed that woman shattering her apart so nothing can compare to her face.

No hair flown more elegantly nor was there any as silky as her's so that was all she cared for. But she feared the bite of her comb would hurt her crown so she cursed that brush ripping apart it's dentures so nothing can ever bite her hair.

Her body was perfect from head to toe. Even softer and smoother than any cloth on the land. No fabric can be whiter or fairer than her skin. So she took her dress and cursed it tearing it apart so nothing can get in the way of her beauty.

The people watched the beauty day and night, how her face wrinkled without a mirror to tell her, how her hair grew frizzy and damaged without a comb to fix it, how her body was raided with scars and rashes and so many more. So they cursed her beauty bringing her into tears so that none may be enchanted by her.

But a prince charming came to her and wiped the drops off her cheeks. And beauty smiled gazing into his handsome face. He promised her he'll be her mirror and her comb and her dress and he'd love her forevermore. And even though her beauty is cursed he stayed beside her keeping making her feel beautiful inside.

And they lived happily ever after...

Hello everyone,

  I'm so very sorry … I feel horrible doing this, but I have no choice. You see, I have published my first book on Amazon/Kindle! This piece (and many others) had to be taken down because they do not allow published material to be available online for free. (Go figure) I wanted to leave the shell of the posts because I felt compelled to leave all your helpful and loving comments. (Silly sentimental, I know), but I also didn't want to just have the pieces disappear without an explanation. I feel bad enough as it is!

  I owe ALL of you so, SO much for all of your reads, love, and support. It was YOU that gave me the gumption to FINALLY get off my **** and publish! Thank you all for the warm comments, camaraderie, and encouragement! I will still be here, reading, uploading and just being the Rascal that I am. How could I EVER leave you guys?

  The book is called “The Way I See It – FictionPhilosophySoul Food” and it will be FREE for the first few days on Kindle Select, so watch for it, if you are interested. I hope that you go and grab it. If you do, I would also hope that you find it worthy, you would leave me a good review. That will help me get in the public eye! Soon afterward (2-3 days or so), it will be available in paperback.

Find the book(s) here: www.amazon.com/author/jeff.gaines

Or find the book(s), and all about me, here: www.JeffGaines.world

  Soon after, I also hope to have my first novel (a supernatural thriller), called “Wanderer” available as well!

  Wish me luck!
Big, Biggest Love,
        Jeff Gaines