Party Animal

by Mary Winters

the sun is always below the yardarm
somewhere
they prop you up with another beer
get you to jitterbug

caught a glimpse in the mirror
your beard's gone gray

bottoms up!
chin chin!
down the hatch!
here's looking at you, kid!
skol!

the smoke from a million
cigars and cigarettes
outside your car falls in a heap
your family dies

you're trapped meeting new people
enchantee!
pleased to mechoo!

shins kicked black and blue
by the Highland fling
the hokey-pokey
the hora
the hompipe
the hula-hula