Russian roulette

Life is taking chances. We will fall many times. If we are lucky. We will know peace one day.

                                  Russian roulette

Beautiful young woman dances on a stage on the border of Austin.
Moving like a butterfly in the breeze.
Holding the attention of the men holding tight to good whiskey and the gin.

A religious man sits with me drinking Jack Daniel straight.
He is telling me the rapture is coming and  it is too late.

I hold my whiskey tight.
Watching the young woman on stage.
I waved a five dollar bills. She come near.
Brought my face close. She whispered. "Thank you Johnnie. You are a gem."'

The darkness had overtook me.
I told my sisters many ways to die.
Can play Russian roulette with a mirror or slowly poison the blood and the mind.
Fast death or slow. Old world is playing Russian roulette with us anyway.

I watched old Soldiers die from wounds by the old wars.
They drank for themselves and friends lost in the dirt of Korean and Vietnam war.
The old boys didn't complain.
I watched many die and I wonder would they repeat their life as it was?

The girl with the big blue eyes sat on my lap.
She asked for me to read her a poem.
I laughed and told her. "I will write a new one for you my blue eye princess."

I ordered a Jack with no ice and a coke for my dancer friend.
I asked her does she want a love poem? An erotic  poem or a poem of
misery and chance?
She smiled and kissed my cheek. Requested a poem of misery and tears.

        Russian roulette

The gun is loaded.
Old heart is gone.
Nothing is left.
I roll the chamber.
I know there is three bullets in my father's old 32.

I pray for one damn good reason to be alive.
No-one answered. Nothing appeared in my mind or heart.
The silence mean there is nothing left.

Old 32 pistol is very old.
Dad carry the side arm for 30 years.
It had been sitting in a safe place waiting.

I hold the gun in my hand.
Was it a savior or a bad ending?
I drink from the bottle of Black velvet.
I looked to the sky.
Told God. No Russian roulette today.
Ain't a good day to die.
 
The end.

I asked my beautiful dancer.
Did the poem have enough misery and sadness?

My friend lay her head into my chest and soft tears begin to fall.
She whispered. "Yes it did. Please don't leave my kind and sad Poet."
I told her. I will stay as long as you need me near.

                               Coyote

Author's Note

I was a Soldier for 15 years. I traveled to the four corners of the USA and most of this world. I met good people. Many people become part of the wood work. Invisible to the eyes of regular people. I was saved by them.

Reviews

[Roshan Nair]

I didnt know you were a soldier my friend. I have come to respect this post all the more now and it means all the more to me. I am a great supporter of the soldiers life and am an avid reader of war literature by veterans, albeit my exposure is humblingly limited to a few books on NAVY Seals. here's my other non-poetry based blog where I have written about them, check them out if you feel like it: http://neo-nair.blogspot.in/2015/01/chronicles-of-worlds-most-elite.html

Your words paint a life in themselves here. It really connected with me. The emotions and degrees of them faced by soldiers is something the world always struggles to empathize with. Great job with the piece!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Roshan. I appreciate the comment. I will check out your blog site. Being a soldier was a small part of finding the bad edge. All people have battles to be fought.

[Avoiry]

Everyone is someone we tend to over look that in this world. Every sinner can be a savior. I really enjoyed this piece and the story and image it wove. Despite the points we reach a part of us tends to say, "Today is not the day."
Thank you for sharing.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Lindsey for reading and the comment. All of us can fall to bad places. We need someone to show us the way to life and purpose.

[M.D Leon]

Well without a doubt a well crafted piece. I sense some sort of despair in the piece. Maybe its symbolism but i find it extremely thought provoking. As if as a writer you were trying to hint at something larger than the poem itself. In that you are successful and what a huge piece this is!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you. Old words and thoughts. Life is giving reason and hope to another.

[Lyn Anderson]

I love this poem. I have that annoying eye for a few small errors, if it something you would like to correct them I can email you directly. I do not feel it detracts from the poem.

[Coyote Poetry]

I would appreciate the help. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Lyn Anderson]

okay will do

[Lyn Anderson]

For example, I missed an is in my first sentence, and it is driving me nuts. :)

[baratasnaparede]

It is touchy. The end felt like a solitary tear, the one who matters. Great job.

[Kenneth The Poet]

This is not a game for the faint-hearted. And that may be the point of the piece, that we are all faint-hearted and not able to go the extra mile when pushed.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Kenneth for reading and stopping by. I hope you and family are enjoying the holidays.

[Kenneth The Poet]

We are and thank you.

[Joyce S. Greene]

A very moving and sad poem, Coyote. A fine piece of work. Hope your heart is light this Christmas and that you enjoy your day. Merry Christmas!

[Coyote Poetry]

I had to work. But kids had fun. That is the important part of the Holidays. I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday.

[Joyce S. Greene]

We must be in different time zones, Coyote. It's only 6:34 am on Christmas Day here. I haven't slept for awhile - just too excited about seeing my son and his girlfriend later. Hope you got a chance to get some enjoyment out of the day!

[Coyote Poetry]

It is Christmas day. I'm a night manager for a retail business. I worked Christmas Eve and I will work tonight. It is okay. I have a good job. Hard to find work today in Michigan. It is 6.34 here also.

[Joyce S. Greene]

Well, maybe you can wake up in time for Christmas dinner a bit later. Hard to have to work on Christmas but having a job is a blessing so that's the up side. I'll have to get up early again tomorrow for work - not easy after a holiday, that's for sure.

[Ees]

I remember being terrified of Russian Roulette when I was a kid. Haha, as though people went around tricking people into playing the game. So that is why I initially clicked on this poem.

I LOVE it right from the first stanza. I can feel the good whiskey or gin and smell the air of that place near Austin. I love being transported to different places by reading poems.

"A religion man sit with me drinking Jack Daniel straight."- you need an 's' on the end of sit and an 's' on the end of Daniel as well. (brand name is with the 's' in that case. and sit is tense issue- both very well could be typos)



"I waved a five dollar bills. She come near."- should have left the 's' off of "bills" and "come" should actually be "came".

"The darkness had overtook me." take the word "had" out.

" know there is three bullets in my father's old 32." "is" should be "are"

" The silence mean they is nothing left."- should be: "The silence means there is nothing left"

" Dad carry the side arm for 30 years."- Dad carried the sidearm for 30 years.

I sense an issue with tenses. Make sure you read out loud, I think that helps catch them more easily. The poem is too good and the imagery is too strong to be compromised by some simple typos and mistakes. I hope I am not being nit-picky, I feel like this poem is worth taking time to make sure it is as good as it should be.

really lovely story poem and so easy to picture. great job! I loved getting to read this one!

[Thomas Hudson]

You imagery is quite alive. You have obtained a unique style of writing.

I thank you for these words.

[Cryingkate]

Coyote,

This is a memorable Piece of writing ,worthy to be framed in some poets library.
Your writings have a voice that can be heard. I always feel like I am right there with you.
I wonder what your voice really sounds like LOL cause, I can hear you.

You draw me into your writings as though it was a reality. like no one I have ever read.
Another of your profound dances. So well done !
It always takes me time to return after reading your writes.Many times I am sad myself .I don't want to leave and return. I like being there so much.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are very kind. I believe you must know misery to know pleasure. Thank you for reading and the comment. I do appreciate.

[Cryingkate]

giggle, giggle.. Well you know what they say:

"Birds of a feather,flock together"

[Tom]

I admire and indeed shall wax lyrical in the way both you and your lady dancer friend drew solace and comfort from each others desperate plights that you found yourselves to be in as you journeyed through life!

A sterling, profound story with a heartfelt humanitarian theme throughout its lines ! This is a special one Coyote and only someone with worldly wise, life experience such as yourself could pen such an emotive, epic tale, my congratulation and thanks Sir on such a worthy poem !!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you Tom for the kind words. Us old Soldiers roamed the dark places. Good to swim with people not too far to fall.