The Devil crept in
whispered – “its no sin,
Lift a glass to your lips…
just innocent sips
Lets dance my friend – lets dance”.

That Devil seemed to know me well
Hugging fast my withered shell
Shoulders hunched in sad eyed stares
Lost within my stupid cares
We stumble danced each night.

Filled and yet filled again
That glass became too small
Oh the Devil is a smart one
As he rides the wind of pain
Misery scorched in the midnight sun
We danced my friend, my shameful claim to fame.

And both grape and grain
became the same
As we danced and pranced each day
With steel like bonds, in such a grip
Down I slipped into a pit
Pride fled from me, in shame.

In sleep the shadow lets me be
The man I’d like the world to see
No slurring speech with trembled hand
But sober strong among men to stand
No more the daytime crimpled soul
Forced to dance the Devil’s toll.

But come the dawn, the others see
The shaking hands Twix glass and lips
No more the once quite gentle sips
But open throated gulps of pain
Of my disgust and friends distain
When we dance the dance…
My friend and me.