She took a bottle of whiskey
and began to chug it
the whiskey turned to water
smooth to the throat, tasteless
reaching for the cigarette lighter
in her back pocket and grabbing the cigarettes
from the table, a single puff.....

She took a plate, a fork, and a knife
from the kitchen and inside her freezer
was a microwaveable dinner,
she stumbled to the living room

The TV was static,  
muffled cries from the screen    
the meal was crunchy, hardly chewy
a single bite....

The radio was static
yet audible, one station, love songs
mascara tubes, empty, lipstick, dry
and face, bare....

Toothpaste, crusty and soap, dry
brown water and bare skin
tender flesh and wool rag

Tattered clothes, black lips
empty chamber, a pistol
cigarette, a single puff