Alison Eastley

Blackout

That first giddy
lurch of arms 
and feet, 
a stumble passing 
out photos 
in case the group 
need proof 
when he’s sobbing 
for his wife 
and even if they don’t, 
he mentions Rehab 
words 
to illustrate 
his conscious state. 
The blackouts 
last longer, 
sometimes for days. 
When he’s awake, 
stories change 
from sober to wringing 
wet illusion 
collapsing into escape.

Snatch

“—to snatch, in Tennessee William’s words, the eternal from the desperately fleeting.”
—John Carey

When he worked 
as a nurse 
pretending no one 
noticed 
how many times 
mistakes 
were made. 
If anyone did, 
there was always 
a light 
hearted joke, 
harmless 
as a headache, 
common 
as a scratch, 
to snatch 
a few hours 
sleep after morning 
shift. 
Perhaps desire 
had something 
to do 
with the wish 
to exist 
without excuses 
to have another drink.