Two out of three ain't bad.

Lonely are the people who wasted love and friendship.

Two out of three ain't bad.










I was sitting alone in a Austin tavern in 1996.
Drinking long Island ice teas.
Trying to get blinded.

A old man dressed poorly ordered a water.
Bartender gave him a bad look and walked away.
I told the bartender.

"Give the old man what he wants."

The old man smiled.

Told the bartender.

"Same as my new friend."

He drank the Long Island ice tea quickly.
I ordered him another.
He thanks me.
Asked me.  "Was I alright?"

I told him.
"Not too good.
But I will be fine."

He touched my back.
Told me.
"You got two out of three.
Better then most of us."

He looked outside to the cold rainy night.
Told me.
"All three are hard to hold on to.
You got the booze. Number one.
You still got the road. Number two.
You still got a lot of living left."

"The third one ain't so easy.
Love cost a lot."

I bought another round.
He raised the Long Island.
Make a cheer to life.
"To the road.
To better days.
To good booze and wine.
To sweet woman lost on the road."

He smiled and told me "I was successful once.
I had the big house.
The beautiful wife waiting for me."

"I choose the booze.
I loved the road too much.
Now I sitting with you.
Alone and wishing I held on tighter."


I looked into his sad eyes.
Asked him. "What was really important?"

He smiled.
Told me to order him a double shot of whiskey.
I ordered the whiskey.
He drank in down quickly.

He whispers "Hold on, tightly and be thankful.
If you find the sweet woman.
Who loved you.
Hold on.
Nothing as sad as a old man dying alone."

I left him.
Gave him a few dollars.
Thanks him for the advice.


I learn two out of three isn't so good.
Need someone to love and care for you.



Before it is too late.



              Coyote 


             3 July 1996   

Reviews

[Katie]

I was sitting alone in a(n) Austin tavern. (When a is followed by a word started with a voel it becomes an)

A(n) old man dressed poorly ordered a water. (same deal as above)

Bartender gave him a bad look and walk(ed) away. (you switched tense in the middle of your sentence)

The old man smile(d). (same deal as above)

He thank(ed) me.
Ask(ed) me (if I) was I alright? (same as the last two)

He touche(d) my back. (^^)

th(a)n most of us. (then = time, than = comparison)


He look(ed) outside (tense issue again)

to the cold(,) rainy night.

Love cost(s) alot."

Ma(d)e a cheer to life. (tense again)

To sweet woman losts on the road. (no s on lost)

He smile(d) and told me

Now I('m) sitting with you. (you want I am sitting, not I sitting)

I look(ed) into his sad eyes. (tense again, but even in present no s on look)

He smile(d). (tense)

Thank(ed) him for the advice. (same as look)

learn(ed) two out of three isn't so good. (tense)

A few good lines in here. It didn't quite live up to my expectations based on the title, but only because I love the song too much

[nicolettox]

He smiled.
Told me to order him a double shot of whiskey.
I ordered the whiskey.
He drank in down quickly.

He whispers "Hold on, tightly and be thankful.
If you find the sweet woman.
Who loved you.
Hold on.
Nothing as sad as a old man dying alone."

man, thank you for this incredible poem!

[Inverse Sanity]

It's incredible what the human condition of others teaches us about ourselves. In this world, in this society we appreciate nothing. We think we have nothing, we complain about nothing, we always want SOMETHING. In this society we have become so materialistic that the only time we ever truly think about one another and the worsened condition of others is if we are forced to listen.
I think this poem demonstrates this well, the simple story of a man on the road and a man who has no home, only the man without a home, realizes his loss, the man on the road is now learning his own.

[Chris Yip]

A simple yet poignant tale in a poem. Sad but makes one thankful of what they have. Is it based on a true encounter? A style of its own with words of advice. Good work of American literature.

[Yellow Butterfly]

A like the 'rawness' to this poem, untouched and unrefined and straight from your heart.

The 'WISE" old mans words were a chilling reminder to the choices he made during his life and realised that as his was coming to an end he wanted to make sure yours was just beginning. I am sure this will strike a chord with many who's lifes have been turned upside down with the demons of achol or know of others who chose two out of three. It's never too late to make it three out of three.

An intriguing tale conveying a very strong message!!!

Great write!

[Kenneth S.]

Powerful story, powerful sentiment. Simple advice means more than what can be said in 500 pages.

[Dragonflyz]

You have a beautiful soul Coyote. I enjoy reading your poetry, syntax errors included...that's what makes it so great. Your imagery helps me to see the entire scene and thoroughly enjoy every line!

[Dahlia Phoenix]

"He whispers "Hold on, tightly and be thankful.
If you find the sweet woman.
Who loved you.
Hold on.
Nothing as sad as a old man dying alone."

Words of wisdom that should be taken to heart. When we meet someone out of the ordinary and they give us this advice, they are trying to tell you something. It just shows your emotions clearly and the way it develops throughout. Two out of three is bad but you have to take the chance.

[Caleigh Rose]

I really love this. I lived on the road for a bit, with a boyfriend. It was a crazy time in my life, and I had a lot of good and bad times. As much as I loved it though, my time came when I couldn't continue the day to day life style, I needed a home that stayed in one place. When the time came to settle down, my boyfriend at the time couldn't bring himself to go home. That was four years ago. To this day, he still lives on the road. I've come to think of him as wild heart that couldn't be tamed - but I'll still always look back on my experiences with him and smile. I just hope the 2 out of 3 doesn't get to him in the end. I loved this a lot. I instantly could relate it to my own life. Poetry like that always hits the hardest, I think.

[newyearnorma]

I really like this poem, it showed a poets soul