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Location: Midwest, United States

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Cup of Water

Shall I pour you a cup of water, dear friend?

Wish I could.

What I’ve got came from a stream poisoned decades ago by the acids released from a gold mine. Can’t say as I know if it’s toxic or not, but all the trout died.

Wait. I kinda get mixed up. It may have come from that river poisoned by the strip mine upstream. The carp died.

Forgive me. I sometimes get my poisons confused.

I’d offer you sweet water, dear friend, if only I could.

All I’ve got is this water drawn from a deep well poisoned by nitrates, pesticides and salt. It’s the best I have. It’s all I can get.

I love you so and can’t in good conscience fill your cup.

But I got me some vodka...fermented liquor derived from grain and potatoes...

With a few impurities as flavorings.

Shall we grow numb, uncaring and oblivious together?

* * *

7 Comments:

Blogger June Calender said...

A poem I'll drink to -- maybe I'll fill the glasses with wine.

Thu Mar 10, 07:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm good with vodka, prefer it over other poisons:)

Thu Mar 10, 07:58:00 AM  
Blogger Wine and Words said...

I accept so much truth in this. And yet I want to say, your acid rain is refreshing and should be bottled. We all have toxicity, but it does not necessarily travel. Sometimes it is the cure to other ails...Penicillium chrysogenum.

Thu Mar 10, 06:21:00 PM  
Blogger Kass said...

Do you have the antidote to toxic love?

Brilliant poem.

Thu Mar 10, 09:48:00 PM  
Blogger secret agent woman said...

Wine for me, too. Even though the grapes may carry poisons. What doesn't?

Fri Mar 11, 05:58:00 PM  
Blogger Jonas said...

I suppose an adulthood spent cleaning up hazardous wastes has affected me in ways that simply bubble to the surface every now and then.

Upon further reflection, I have to say that wine is my libation of choice. I never was all that fond of hard liquor. And wine...well...wine was the thirst quencher of choice in many ancient societies that could not rely clean sources of potable water. We're coming full circle...

An antidote to "toxic love," Kass? Oh dear.

I do like wine, reds almost exclusively (Hey! It's for my health!). There's art in wine-making.

Sat Mar 12, 12:08:00 AM  
Blogger anna said...

I think you can find some of that sweet water if you're willing to dig for it.

Fri Mar 18, 05:47:00 AM  

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