Elise's Lament & A Bourbon Spiked Cider

Welcome to The Oasis, a collection of poetry tied to a dubious little dive bar in the midwest. Pull up a barstool and share a drink (poem) every Friday. Join me for song recommendations, drink recipes, and poems - all pairing together less like a fine wine with Brie and more like a cheap shot of bourbon with stale peanuts. Cheers!

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Photo by Tim Durand via Pexels

Song recommendation: “Set Out Running” - Neko Case

Sharing a drink can be a joyous act of celebration, but sometimes, when a sense of loss or loneliness envelopes you, a drink can feel like a long lost friend. One patron of The Oasis experiences layers of pain and loss, and she’s someone I’ve grown quite fond of in my fictional little dive bar. We’ve met Elise before, during The Wait. This week we get a different snapshot into her life, and it’s a miracle she hasn’t set out running.

Drink pairing: Bourbon Spiked Cider

This week’s sip dabbles in iambic pentameter. And while I’ll leave the formal format to the likes of Chaucer and Shakespeare, I did find myself writing in a rhythm that mimics iambic pentameter (however loosely). This toast is for Elise, and for all those who know what it’s like to lose. In honor of her lament, we’ll share a drink that warms the belly and hopefully the heart. Easy bourbon spiked cider:

• 2 oz. bourbon

• 1 cup apple cider

• 1 teaspoon honey

• Pinch of cinnamon, pinch of nutmeg

• Slice lemon

• Heat cider, add bourbon and honey, stir; pour into mug, add squeeze of lemon, cinnamon and nutmeg

• Sip and enjoy

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Elise’s Lament

Standing quiet in a cemetery
Hands in pockets like when we were girls
The scent of your cigarettes still carries
Fingers wrap around your second hand pearls

Late nights, white lies; secrets only we can keep
Blue eyes, bar flys; I always knew you’d leave

Never felt you were extraordinary
Shine like yours was often pegged as crazy
Always thought you rather ordinary
Standing next to you was never easy

Cold hands, small feet; knew when to let me be
Wild heart, big dreams; you meant the world to me

Last fight we had was unnecessary
Searing words that haunt me damn near daily
Heartbreak is so very hard to bury
Pardon me while I search for bravery

Short breaths, clenched teeth; I miss you terribly
Long sigh, release; I miss you endlessly

Standing quiet in a cemetery
Hands in pockets like when we were girls

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