Picketh Yer Poison

at the drugstore

counter

the childish sat

as Uncle Golucki

chuckled in rolls

over colored candies,

flavor spiked

milkshakes, root beer

floats, n' other

harmless drafts

as well as

cigars in big cartons

lines to the ceiling

behind his back

with lights strung

from cigarettes to

brown strands of

chewin' tabac'er

too many to count

rounding the door

and windows

to the street corners

where one turned...

maybe he went loco

or maybe he went

native, or just was

always part Navajo...

they say his eyes lit

scanning the labels

behind glass after

glass baricade

waiting

to quench the

unquenchable

thirst everyman

has from birth...

they say, so the

story goes...

he paused

when he saw

"Mountain Dew"

it was green

and plastic

it hailed Neon

like from some

Alien God

foaming

at the mouth

they still see him

out on the trail of

the Appalachians

teaspoon in hand,

I hear he's getting

his own even now

gathering drop

by drop

sweet and clear

off the morning bluebells

and deadly nightshades.

11.24.2023

Mountain Dew challenge @Huckleberry_Hoo