Patron

Marc Williams 

Poetry, Heard/Alexandria Detention Center writing contest, August 2021

Started off social wasn’t really drinking like

Turned into a habit

Now I gotta have it

You saw you was my weakness

But you ain’t take advantage

I’ll slow sip your love and let it work its magic

I left my first addiction and ran to you

And for a minute I was juggling between the two

But your intoxacation was so strong

I felt like with you

I could do

No wrong

At my weakest point you made me feel so strong

But now you are so gone

And I’m on my own

All in my zone truly yours

My precious patron

Now let me get inside it was just me and you

I’ll drink you all night I’ll be sweatin’ when I’m through

See that’s just what you do

Put me on another level

You cater to a man make a nigga feel special

That’s why I never left you and I never would

I had a lot of problems and you always understood

And when I went to jail you waited till I got out

I took you straight to the crib and drunk you all

Through the house

Out now hmmm…

You are so gone

And I am on my own

Truly yours my precious patron

Now time rolled forward you got a lil older

I started to notice you got a lil colder

I would shrug it off like maybe I’m just tripping

Give you a lil minute then I’m right back to sipping

I was Ray Charles boo I couldn’t see the ending

You found another sipper but he don’t drink you same

He mix up with cranberry he a real lame

You say he different and I don’t wanna change

I guess all the drinking just clouded up my brain

Cuz now you are so gone

And I am on my own

Truly yours my precious patron

And sometimes I still reference you in my discussions

You left my mind stuck like a million concussions

And sometimes I hate you just for being

Wishing you was gone and I could continue breathing

Then I get to thinking like am I still in love with

You and wonder if that’s the meaning

But hey my thoughts twisted and I guess I’m still

A dreamer yes I’m still a believer

Pray for peace but keep a nina

Keep it shaking like a seizure

Tried hard to please ya

And my feelings still strong

But now I know you never know what you got till

It’s gone