the drink

i walked into a tavern

exhausted, with life

for a drink.

 

from a corner of the bar

i picked up an empty glass

and placed it

before the barman.

 

“a drink, please.”

he said, “sure”

then holding a wrist over the glass

slit a vein

and filled my cup.

 

i drank

asked for another

drank again

then asked for the bill.

 

“there’s no bill, sir”

he says,

“there’s blood a-plenty

and

it’s free.”