Pickled #1

Tenderly bated essence of Listerine

  wafting your way ‘cross waves of Jack Daniels,

Kiss me and tell me I love you in spite of your having fallen

  off your little red wagon.

Pickled  #3

Calamine lotion comes in a bottle

     just like gin does.

And it stops the itching

     just like gin does,

     for a while.

And it’s a superficial curative

     just like gin

     maybe isn’t even.

But calamine lotion flows with the saying,

       while gin is simply said and it stops.

Pickled #4

Drink to me with your veined, rosy cheeks and your breath that reeks

and slurs the words that are vented in slop-happy phrases not quite intelligible to sober man.

     I want to feel the pulse pumping reddish-stained grain alcohol.

But spare me the slush-puppy tears falling down on your non-support stockings and rocking your head back and forward.

    I can still see your tender-made soul in spite of the drivel that’s driving you home.

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