Many a young man
thinking himself
“on a promise”
with a young woman
has been doomed
to disappointment
having misread the signs
or having allowed his
thoughts to stray
into the realms
of wishful thinking
may seek to salve
his ego
in wanton drinking…
© Andrew Wilson, 2024
Over at dVerse Poets Pub, lillian in Quadrille, invites us to write a Quadrille ( apoem in exactly 44 words not including the title) that should include the word, if not the concept of “promise”…
Unfortunately I think this is more common that anyone knows!
I am thankful that i very rarely take a drink and then it is more about taste as it is so easy, apparently, to slip from social drinking to addiction. thanks for visiting Christine…
“seen through a glass darkly” as Paul once said and a creative take on the prompt here though
Thank you Laura, it was just dashed off before bed, but sometimes less thought is more…
That is probably the worst thing to do… still that is what people do.
Indeed, Björn! My parents once visited Sweden and were distressed to see business men mid-afternoon falling down drunk in the middle of town, seemingly because of the policy of making alcohol expensive and socially unacceptable to buy leading to occasional binge drinking – sad. Perhaps it is different now, but alcohol needs to be treated with respect…
Well done Andrew!
Thanks, Dwight…
Well yes, drinking to block out disappointment / pain … not relegated to the young male for certain. I plead guilty, once, decades ago. Which was enough. ‘Wanton’ may be an exaggeration.
I would be surprised if you had not lived a life that included a few downs as well as ups, Helen…
Ah….the disappointment of new love that is crushed and wilted before it begins to stand and grow. You’ve expressed it well.
Never a good idea. But it’s happening out there. A good poem.
Pat
Thanks, Pat, I like a drink in the way I like a special food treat, not as something you would live on regularly so it always amazes/dismay me to see the volume of alcohol in shops…
Andrew that sounds like it would make a great epitaph for some unfortunate soul.
Sadly you may be right Li…
“on a promise” works both ways too, as the chased may then be disappointed by the drunker pursuer’s brewers droop!
LOL – Too right Shaun!
I like where you took the prompt. Great image, as well.
Thanks Sara, it’s one of those that seemed to write itself…
The misread is as real, and an anaesthetic is for some the only kindness, sadly.
You are certainly right about the reality of the misread and sadly probably right about the anaesthetic, Paul…