The Ballad of A Drunkard's Life

Many people have asked me
“why do you drink?
It’s harmful, you know
About your health don’t you think?

It harms you liver
Makes you physically hollow;
It hurts your family and friends
Brings a social sorrow.

It takes over your mind
Haunts it with thoughts that are not true
Your body doesn’t remain your own
Contaminates it through and through.

Blackouts and hallucinations
Superficial feelings of joy
Such thing that brings no good
On it, why do you rely?”

“I drink,” I answer, “not to think
But to forget both present and past
The future though not in my hands
At least and can restrict its vast.

What’s permissible, what’s excess
The difference I’m sure I know
I’m no alcoholic
And no inclination I do show.

I know it’s harms, I know it’s good
I know what it exactly does
I’ve still not had a blackout
I feel no need for alcoholic anonymous.

You say I should stop drinking
You say I should arrange my life
Is this life,
If at each of its turn I have to strive?

You talk of society!
What good has it done to me?
What more than pain has it given?
Oh yes, anger and jealousy.

You say I have friends, sure I do
But I can do without thoughts sarcastic
If you call a group of strangers, friends
You need to be more pragmatic.

Yes, I have derailed from life
I have lost my vigor and flair
And all because of feelings of sorrow,
Of sadness, I could not share.

Do you call them friends?
Where were they when life was harsh on me?
And your self-proclaimed society of gentlemen
When alone I cried, didn’t they see?

Where were they when grief gripped me
And my hardships led way to fear,
When fate gave me a million wounds
And blood spilled through my eyes as tears.

You say I am menace
A scar on face of society, you call civil
You derive pleasure from sorrows like mine
Yet, I am the one who is evil.

You say I am degenerate part of society
How, is beyond my ken
You are the convicts of my such state
Yet, you are respectable men.

Once, I did need companionship
And I sought it from friends, but found none.
Alcohol then became my partner for sorrow
My downfall so began.

Why didn’t you come before,
And pull me up with time
Instead of extending a hand now,
When my alcoholism is sublime?

You retire to the comfort of your society
Now I have no need of you
I remain faithful to alcohol, as it to me
Until life bids me Adieu.”