A Letter Written After Drinking, and Falling In Love With Lilly

by Bryan McGinley

… His soul shall taste the sadness of her might,
And be among her cloudy trophies hung.
–John Keats

I wanted to say
you’re so beautiful
but
that wouldn’t be fair
to him
or me.
Honestly
neither of us
will remember
this morning
tomorrow.
Later today
we’ll pretend
nothing happened
because
it did.
I showed
you the holes
in my wall
behind
the Beatles poster
where I keep
my weed.
Don’t tell
my mom.
Our kiss
was
just the booze
talking.
I should have
tasted it
but
I confused yours
for mine.
I could tell
we share
a drunken
mind,
it’s a shame
alcoholism
is frowned upon.
I understand
he loves you.
We would never
get past
a second Tuesday
of cheap beer
when sweet
nothings tie
our tongues
in ways
that’s best
to keep
between us.
I’ll keep
Tuesdays
in mind
every Wednesday
morning
when the ashtray’s
bursting
with
burnt
out ideas
and regret
when I say
leave this
letter
with the
cigarette butts.