Short & Sour

Nevermore

August 23: A poem about despair, drugs and the demons that come along with them

Sober Translation: Poetry. This is one I wrote. I figured you have just as hard a time understanding poetry as I do, so I'll go through and offer my commentary on this particular one. It isn't even good, though. I highly suggest not reading it.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I wandered, weak and weary,

Through the soggy streets of prodding feet passed by not long before—

While I staggered, sore and shambling, suddenly there came a rambling

From a place reserved for gambling, gambling wealth away for sure—

"Oh, some young people" I muttered, "gambling wealth away for sure—

Only this and nothing more."

Sober translation: I was walking in the city one rainy night, alone, I was tired, as I am all the time, and I heard a loud noise coming from a casino. They don't call this place "sin city" for nothing. One can easily lose their way. I know I have one too many times.

Ah, distinctly I recall it being in the muggy August,

And each blust'ry blowing wind gust sounding like an old ghost's roar—

I was waiting for the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

Some drug's spell to drown the sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant woman I, her lover, called Lenore—

Nameless here for evermore.

Sober translation: This all happened in August, my least favorite month, and it was windy. I was trying to forget her. I was high, since I started doing drugs again when she left me. I write poetry when I'm high. I try understanding it when I'm sober. Which is why we are here.

And the blinding, bad, dynamite blinking of each slot and bright light

Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic notions never thought before;

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating

"Oh, some young people entreating me to come and win some score—

Just some young people entreating me to come and win some score;—

This it is and nothing more."

Sober translation: Looking at the slot machines and lights in my haze, I felt urged to gamble as well—something I hadn't done since she was mine. I tried to find a reason why I should go into the casino, and ended up with the delusion that people wanted me to spend time with them. It was the drugs that did it.