Drink More Water

It’s free. That’s a bad joke. That’s
Halfway to an insult and I’m
Halfway through this pint and
I think my uncle is dying from
Not drinking enough water –
Belhaven Best is close enough.

22 years on this planet and
The manner that I realised
Was halfway to an insult,
Second left beyond a bad joke.
As a child it’s hard to know what
Alcoholism means, my grandad
Did but he died before
I breathed my Dad
Was seventeen.

Q) What does alcoholism mean?

Can I phone a friend?
At every family party hair gelled
New shirt this one is blue with the dragon
My uncle drinks and drinks and drinks
And new shirt drinks and drinks
Straightening my hair and drinks taller
Drinks older drinks straightened hair Drinks
Was a bad idea in hindsight and

I never realised what that meant.
In my family we don’t really talk,
More just acknowledge –
Your uncle’s got throat cancer.
Life of the party number one story
Teller twenty quid in a card on your Birthday discharged himself to get a
Drink More Water, I wish he would.
Missed my graduation and I miss him too.