I Cracked Open My Lids by Johnny O.
I cracked open my lids
to the view of yet another
unremarkably unfamiliar ceiling

I awoke with
last night’s breath
a stiff lower back
and a stuffed’n’running fuckin’ nose

And I’m not quite hanging-over
as much as I’m hanging-on

white-knuckled &
balls-to-the-walls

on the edge
of respect-ability
of reason-ability
of response-ability

Why, on this particular sunrise,
did the dichotomy inside of me
wrestle with such damned ferocity?

Black and white
began the same age ol’ fight
as my last grasp
began to slip

And now my conniving mind
is trying to find reason
in seeking just
one more ride
down the rail
on this quietly quaint
Sunday morn

The debate began
as I cracked my lids
and got vertical

No don’t.

Ah, just one more for the road.

You can’t.

You can!

My mind played the cliché -

stop/go
yes/no

- games

And the verdict
well, it took too damn long

’cos it was dawn
and if it was gonna be done
then let’s get it on

Walking the line
I fell to my knees
and kissed her feet
one last time.

and one more for the road.