THE DRINKING YEARS
The drinking years poured on
in various degrees of fizzfriction
My dream manifested: 18 at last
My tribute, a friend bought
the first round and round we went
Soon, my lonely heart found itself
nestled in the arms of some shlump
I met the night before… score
I had envisioned losing IT
over Chateauneuf du Pape
Not snotlockered over boilermakers
Finally I was a space cadet in
launch mode: “If I am to…
stay here for a… p-period of time,
will someone pleeeeeease
persuade the floor to pleeeeease…
stop spinning?”
© 2013 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
The Sunday Whirl gave us a Baker’s Dozen of words. Click the link to see what others have done with this unique prompt, and, as always, thanks to Brenda Warren for her sharing the list!
This is also “in the margins” at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads and Poets United.
Suffice it to say, after watching my mother die from a combination of 50 years of smoking and 40 of drinking (she was in recovery toward the end), I gave up partying. Besides, I’d much rather enjoy the occasional microbrew beer than depend on Gordon’s for a lifeline. Thanks, Mama, for showing me the better path. Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
georgefloreswrite
Sad and at the same time lively. Yes, much better to be able to partake in moderation. Also cuts down on the bad stomach stuff the next day 😦
Sharp Little Pencil
Ah, yes, bitterbitter memories of dry heaves…
georgefloreswrite
Urghh I don’t remember those with any fondness!
oldegg
I don’t think I ever lost anything being stonkered except money and a gut full emptying dramatically. Don’t think I gained much either.
Sharp Little Pencil
Ah, but boys don’t lose “it”; they do “it” for the first time (and generally quite badly). That should give you some idea of my poem’s “it.” If not, ask your friendly neighborhood gynecologist!! wink Amy
Seb
I used to drink. A lot. God, I miss it!
Sharp Little Pencil
I don’t miss the morning-after yucks, not the funny kind. The yucky kind!
I’m lucky; didn’t get my mom’s addictive gene, so I can take or leave it now. Thanks, Seb, coming to see you now! Amy
Ye Pirate
Great wordplay- never, ever thought I’d become teatotal. Never. Don’t miss it really. Hate booze. Hate everything about it.
Sharp Little Pencil
A pirate who doesn’t drink? Wow, what a concept. Buckets of Gatorade and steins of Pepsi all around! I don’t miss drinking, but I do have the occasional social wine or beer… some folks cannot put it down, like my poor mom… Thanks for commenting! ARRRRRRRRR I’ll see you at yer blog, matie!
OK, no more pirate crap. I promise. Amy
Makaela
Wowza, problem solved like it never haeneppd.
coalblack
I’d mercifully forgotten about the whirlies. I don’t miss drinking at all.
Sharp Little Pencil
See, you’ve lots of company here, honey! If you don’t miss it, you’re probably addictive, is what I’m thinking. You know what I mean? Amy
Nanka
A serious topic and well written in a fun way entirely your ishtyle!! Sooner the head realizes the better, then soon the floor will stop spinning too!! 🙂
Sharp Little Pencil
Ah yes, Nanka, those days are far, far behind me. I was a VERY bad girl in the late 70s. Don’t believe me, click the tag “Amy: The Lost Years.” It reads like regret on burnt toast! Thanks, hon.
markwindham
yeah, I do not think an 18 year old can grasp the concept of moderation. I still enjoy my beer, but cannot even fathom the quantities I used to consume
Sharp Little Pencil
Makes my kidneys bark just thinking about it!! Moderation? At 18, yeah… I worry, though, about kids these days. We didn’t binge drink, we just drank too much and didn’t notice. There’s a difference: Drinking to get drunk is dumb and dangerous. Thanks, Mark. A
Laurie Kolp
I had my share of drinking years, too. Looking back, I’m thinking what a glutton for punishment, and your poem is a fine example of the negative effects we ignore. What a vicious cycle. I’m so grateful.
Sharp Little Pencil
Gratitude is the theme of the day for this one!
El Guapo
To be fair, boilermakers are very good at what they do.
But the memories of them are perhaps best left as that – memories.
Sharp Little Pencil
Agreed, amigo. Gone with the wind….
jacquelinecaseypoetry
I try not to think about it; the hours wasted on that bar stool, when I could have been doing something constructive.
Sharp Little Pencil
Lots of these comments, Jacqueline. We were all in good company!
Kerry O'Connor
I was never a great party animal, but the college years saw some drunken sprees.. I gave up alcohol during my first pregnancy and never took up the practice again. Now when I tell people I don’t drink, they look at me like I’m a freak. It has become a social expectation and people feel you are judging them if they get sozzled while you remain sober..
jacquelinecaseypoetry
As with all addictions, misery loves company…
Grace
I have seen those people, drunk & wild for the party & retching and feeling ill the next day ~ The addiction can be pretty bad ~ I stick to social drinking only ~ Good one Amy ~
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks, Grace. As one who has awoken wtih pavement grooves in her face from spending night in said gutter, then emerged as a sober but social-drinking observer of the gutter, I can safely say the latter is best! But it’s all in the journey.
gabrielle
Curious how we script perfect fantasies about these perceived milestones—and how they often happen so unceremoniously. Alcohol blurs the senses, but there are so many other distractions that masquerade as urgency.
Sharp Little Pencil
Gabrielle, what a thoughtful reply. It’s true: many pursuits in this life wear masks of fantasy, or fun. Thanks for this, Amy
grapeling
I marvel at people who drink to excess. Not envy, however.
Kay, Alberta, Canada
Been there, done that, but long ago and far away.
Life, though I’m not as young, and nowhere near as physically able, as I was then, has improved a hundredfold since those years, I’m happy to report.
If your mother died sober, she died happy, bless her.
K
Sharp Little Pencil
Kay, I actually heard her last breath, crossed the room and took her hand and said loudly, “Mama, you did it! You died sober!” Like sending her up with a joyful noise. Quite an accomplishment. Thanks for understanding, Kay.
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
Alcohol is a tough life when it is your master. You’ve captured over indulgence so well in your words. I drink occasionally, but I have a friend who rarely puts a photo on Facebook that doesn’t include some sort of alcohol. So sad.
Sharp Little Pencil
Susie, that is sad, I agree. Some folks get addicted early and claim it like a religion… others, like me, are lucky… able to take or leave it. But this tells of my Bad Girl years in California, when anything was possible…!
brian miller
oh my….i rather want to run to the restroom and lose my breakfast just at the thought of the whirls…went through some rough years myself before sobering up….
Sharp Little Pencil
This seemed to trigger a similar response in all who were caught in the cycle… hope you made it to a wastebasket!! Glad I’m off it.
Akila
Cool wordplay here! loved the trailing words at the end
Sharp Little Pencil
Thanks so much, Akila! Amy
claudia
oh i had that spinning floor experience once in my life…it cured me for all times…i felt NEVER EVER so sick in my whole life like that night…ugh…
Sharp Little Pencil
Ugh, spinning stomach, dry heaves, worshiping the porcelain gods… so much to remember, so much to be thankful to avoid!
Herotomost
Yeah…just went on the Carnival Booze Cruise to Ensenada….I can’t drink like I used to, but I am still way better looking after a couple of Vodka Presses..lol. Love the point and love the writing.
Sharp Little Pencil
A Booze Cruise… oy, I couldn’t take it. One pint of beer or a glass of wine and I’m buzzy and doing fine. Love the “I am still better looking” part, because I remember that feeling!! Amy
GILLENA COX
a little humour edged in, very crafty
much love…
lolamouse
I love the word “fizzfriction!” This one brought back some memories for me, some good and some, not so much!
purplepeninportland
Love the way you use language, Amy. “frizzfriction”, and “snotlockered”, amazing words.
Sara v
Amy, so glad you found peace and the path away from that downward trails-end. A great alcoholic piece, made me feel spinny…;-) (snotlockered is a great word)