Gutter-Bound

by Kaydi Johnson

Better to be gutter-bound, cock-eyed and wasted, face to the firmament; or maybe face down, nose in a puddle; better in the gutter than in the shape of walking in any shape but this -- you can still walk. No you can't call it walking, if you can still walk, it's the stumble before your face hits the gutter -- the-four-drink-over-the-mark-limit might marry your nose to the curb. You always wanted to be married to something. Loneliness starves you -- four more cocktails are like new buddies on the block. If you’re still walking, you’ll search for a woman or man who understands you, maybe put your key into the ignition. A hooker on the corner winks if you're upright -- better to be in the gutter -- a drunk on his feet has a better chance of waking up lonely than the man who can't get home.

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Kaydi Johnson is a songwriter, poet and novelist from Long Island, New York.