MY THIRST RETURNS by Bradford Middleton

It had been some week and a half when work seemed never-ending
And time to myself never really felt well spent
Running around sorting life is never one of my top priorities
Not as much as quenching my generous thirst.

It finally kicked in Wednesday night and a bottle of wine that barely
Touched the sides, followed by a Thursday waking early desperate
For further sustenance and by 3pm the hour had arrived, out I
Ventured, desperate to drown my soul in glorious booze.

That first pint came with 4 double bourbons and then when a
Friend arrived it became even worse as the drinking speeded
Up as the lager went down.  Then a few hours into our session
I got to my feet, walked outside and blazed away.

Smoking my way to complete black-out what happened after
I ain’t too sure.  The smoke was smoked and then the drink
Carried on being drunk until the next thing I realise, it’s half-6
The next morning and I’m home alone on my bed still drunk.

 Bradford Middleton was born in south-east London during the summer of 1971 and won his first poetry prize at the age of nine.  He then gave up writing poems for nearly twenty-five years and it wasn't until he landed in Brighton, knowing no one and having no money, that he began again.  Ten years later and he's been lucky enough to have had a few chapbooks published including a new one from Analog Submission Press entitled 'Flying through this Life like a Bottle Battling Gravity', his debut from Crisis Chronicles Press (Ohio, USA) and his second effort for Holy & Intoxicated Press (Hastings, UK).  He has read around the UK at various bars, venues and festivals and is always keen to get out and read to new crowds.  His poetry has also been or will be published shortly in the Chiron Review, Zygote in my Coffee, Section 8, Razur Cuts, Paper & Ink, Grandma Moses 'Poet to Notice', Empty Mirror, Midnight Lane Gallery, Bareback Lit and is a Contributing Poet over at the wonderful Mad Swirl.  If you like what you've read go send a friend request on facebook to bradfordmiddleton1.