Such pale skin, almost touched by an angel, you say
The silence stretches between us, a lonely highway left untraveled
But you were gushing last week while teaching me to mix a Manhattan
Your favorite, remember?
You’d rather forget it all maybe
But I just can’t stop the vodka prickling in my throat that tastes warm and safe
Tumbling into a heady spiral that whispers to just fall
It coerces and pleads and bargains, so I say okay
Sweet dreams
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14-15-16-17
The nurse says, baby girl, I did the same thing but with pills
You give me a watery smile and say that I’m your satellite
Our eyes begin to leak because the tear ducts aren’t strong enough
And we know one more shot would have killed
So we talk about running away to Australia as I’m needled to an IV
And spew out hopes and dreams and promises
Because the promises you make on someone’s almost-deathbed are titanium
No more hard liquor for you, no more trying to snip the cord for me
Now there’s a euphemism if I ever heard one
Then they wheel me off to treatment and make me feel shame
They drop a single capsule into my palm and await balance
Of the chemical sort, of course
And I finally meet the others
Snow says I could be a veterinarian because of my compassion
But she’s homicidal, so I don’t trust her
Ashlynn is ten and wild and my spiritual sister
Encouraging me to attend church to blot my transgressions
We play jenga and pretend not to see James’ hand on Natalie’s crotch
We play cards and try not to cringe as Alex itches the cigarette burns on his arms
And Skylar serenades us with a fragment of the latest pop song
They give me psychobabble and coping mechanisms
Not to mention the title of liar as I swear to Dr. Evans that I’m fit as a fiddle
So they let me go
You should let me go