Cheap Rooms and Love

Here is a link from my YouTube channel where I read my poetry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Noa4ztEUFDA

The efficiency room days were
the worst and the best.
Broke and bent,
sick and deranged.
Disheveled dreams, like
horses with broken legs.

There was an occasional
miracle.
A forgotten five-dollar
bill crumpled in the
front pocket of some dirty
jeans, lying by the fake
plant and a copy of Hamsun's
Hunger, long overdue from
the library.
The fiver would buy a
pint of cheap vodka.
My nerves settled for a
moment.

Friends seem to drift
away by the month.

"Where's Johnny?"

"He froze down at the Raccoon River."

"Oh s**t, he was always good for a snort."

"Have you seen Sue lately?"

"The cirrhosis finally took her."

"Son of a b***h, I used to get drunk and
tell her I loved her, while she gave me head."

Poverty and death drank with us in
those cheap rooms,
Singing sad songs and songs
of victory.
Battles were won and lost
and great debates waged in our
addled minds.
We took care of each other the best
we knew how.
Life was just a myth.

Author's Note

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Noa4ztEUFDA
Hi everyone. Here is a link to my YouTube channel where I read poetry from my books, Sleep Always Calls, Seedy Town Blues Collected Poems, and It's Just a Hop, Skip, and a Jump to the Madhouse. They are all available on Amazon.
www.thomaswcase.com

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Thomas, if these works of yours are really autobiographical, you have lived one hell of an interesting life. When I was working in the mental health field, I encountered people like those you describe here fairly often. Some of them were diagnosable. We provided what care we could. I don't know how many survived.

[Thomas W Case]

I think by the Grace of God, I survived...and others like me. Thanks for commenting.

[kronskymikhail]

This piece hits like a bruise you can’t stop pressing — tender, filthy, and alive. The rhythm of despair and brief grace makes it painfully beautiful. You can almost smell the vodka and hear the ghosts laughing through the cracks in the walls. It reminds me how fragile hope is, like chasing fleeting luck at https://pincobettajikistan.com , where sometimes survival itself feels like a win.

[keith]

poverty and death ... the end all too many face off with
poverty is never a profit making ordeal and death is done
takes a drunk to understand a drunk
poverty is not comfortable

consistent within your unique style and no holds barred
keep up it's working

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend. I appreciate it.

[ETERNITY]

A very intriguing title there, Mr Thomas W Case!
I enjoyed it immensely although it truly makes me sad.
Even if these characters are not real, I know there are real people like that.
Thank you for posting.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Buddhistboy73]

Sounds like a band of brothers story here...:)

Deep and kinda sad in equal measure....
A harsh existence, but I guess with thr comfort of knowing the like-minded company .....

Thanks for sharing this illuminating write...
BB73

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

[red93]

Once again Thomas, I am struck by the differences in provision and care between the UK and the States. This is the Raw Word that I have referred to previously, right on the money - or lack of it. Exceptional ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you my friend.

[Neville]

earthy, ragged and real .. this has the Thomas W Case hallmark running right through it and gets the Neville V Pettitt seal of approval without any reservation whatsoever .. N

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend. I appreciate it.

[Soren]

If not in reality in emotion we have visited these places full of grit and rawness. A lovely write my friend

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[Soren]

You are most welcome Thomas