Three Vices | Teen Ink

Three Vices

April 18, 2019
By Halcyonday PLATINUM, Johnson City, Tennessee
Halcyonday PLATINUM, Johnson City, Tennessee
22 articles 24 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Why is it that we rejoice at a birth and cry at a funeral? It is because we are not the ones involved."
-Mark Twain, "Pudd'nHead Wilson"


My uncle’s laugh held

The husky sublime

He leaned close to whisper

Taking great time,

“There ain’t nothin’ in this world, dear,

Worth a dime, ‘cept for

Old dogs, children, and watermelon wine.”


He had his grandchildren, glint

And rheumy kind eyes

He had his three vices and asked,

What were mine?


Cumulus kings behind polarized glasses

That newlywed waitresses’ cooed-over ring

Realizing no reason to run in warm rain, and

Those same address-raindrops on the letter

Arrived safely sound


Southern hospitality’s molar-wide smile and

The sunlight that drips from its lips - becoming

Feeble dandelions in sidewalk cracks


Soft sidewalk cracks are just chinks in the armor

Of my cloying and bittersweet vices


The author's comments:

As it turns out, my uncle's favorite line to croon is originally from an old Tom T. Hall song.


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