I ought to stop the drunken drives
through narrow roads
adorned with bouquets of flowers
on each tight bend
and the periodic bingeing
of whatever’s offered
for the nose or mouth
only to wake an see friends
their jaws swinging
like loose doors in a storm
but how can I refrain
when I’ve lived all through trouble
when I know
even the faintest stars shine
in the darkest times?