the forgotten phase (excerpt from 'From My Front Steps')

<p><strong>'the forgotten phase'</strong></p> <p><br></p> <p>the country closed tight</p> <p>though like an old whore</p> <p>some parts insist on parting open</p> <p>accepting the dime but not the dollar</p> <p>common sense priceless and drying in jars</p> <p>moonshine gone the way of lemonade</p> <p>and the sober guzzle it</p> <p>while the drunks measure the fingers</p> <p>clinging inside the glass</p> <p>laughing cause they get it—</p> <p>the hard stuff lends the buzz</p> <p>but reality is what’ll get ya—</p> <p>with swimming heads they toast the drowning</p> <p>knowing thru abandoned hearts</p> <p>they trained for the marathon</p> <p>not the race.</p> <p><br></p> <p>#barflypoet</p> <p>#josephapinto</p> <p>www.josephpinto.com&nbsp;</p> <p>© Copyright Joseph A. Pinto. All Rights Reserved.</p> <p>*</p> <p>Poetry served to you raw and unedited from the moment crafted;</p> <p>all poetry is older work and chosen at random unless otherwise noted.</p> <p>*</p> <p>'From My Front Steps,' 'Scotch and Scars' and 'A Distilled Spirit' poetry collections available in paperback and ebook on Amazon.</p>