Unwilling

Summary

The text is a personal reflection on the author's struggle with alcohol, framed around a poetry prompt response.

Abstract

The author shares a candid account of their ongoing battle with alcohol consumption, which is portrayed as both a compulsion and a coping mechanism for a chaotic work life. Despite recognizing the need to prioritize health over drinking, the author finds themselves repeatedly indulging, often alone, with no external voice to impose limits. The piece is a creative response to prompts by Paroma Sen and Amy Marley, and is shared on the Paper Poetry platform, highlighting a period of untamed hedonistic behavior that the author intends to curb upon returning home.

Opinions

The author acknowledges their tendency to drink excessively, particularly after stressful work periods.
There is a sense of self-awareness about the need to consider health, yet the author feels trapped between the desire to drink and the need to be healthy.
The author uses gambling metaphors to describe their decision-making process regarding alcohol, suggesting a sense of fatalism or resignation to their habits.
The piece is retrospective, with the author indicating that the behavior described is from five years prior, not current.
Gratitude is expressed to Suntonu Bhadra for providing a platform for the author's words and to the readers for their time.

Paper Poetry Prompt#3

Photo by James. G. Brennan.

Here I find myself again after Four too many drinks. Not enough consumed to satisfy, No one to say enough Or will power to stop, I hold my alcohol too well.

Once again my decision to drink more Will be at the roll of my dice, every side is a six So I’m always a winner!

“Another Guinness please, and one more Jameson whiskey.”

Work is chaotic weekends, So Monday evening is where it starts, In fact, it never stops this rolling on of Untamed hedonistic behaviour, I know it will stop after my time at work is over, Once the plane touches down on home soil.

I’ve reached the age where health needs to be Taken into account, health over booze? This is me being trapped between my own Rock and a hard place, the only voice to say enough Is the one inside my head.

I know I am going to drink that bottle of wine And a quarter bottle of rum when I get back in from the pub. I will be home in two months, the time to stop.

“Guinness please, ah go on, another Jameson.”

This piece is in response to Paroma Sen’s “Roll of the dice & Amy Marley’s “Rock and a hard place” Thank you, ladies, for this prompt. Don’t be concerned by the way, this is inspired from five years ago, not my behaviour now. Muh ha ha haa. Here is the link should you be interested in ‘avin’ a go. Ahh go on.

Thank you Suntonu Bhadra for giving my words a platform here at Paper Poetry. Thank you all for reading and your precious time. Always. J.

POETRY

Unwilling

Paper Poetry Prompt#3

Paper Poetry Prompt# 3

for the timeline of September 29- October 9, 2020