Tanya Davis, "Party Harder"

some 20 somethings in this small town go out to the same bar every weekend
'cause they need something to complete them
and it seems alcohol will feed them
and so they drink it down and feel at ease and
think the evening heals them
they go home and sleep
in the morning meet at greasy spoons for eggs, toast, and caffeine
they eat and feel relieved
and laugh at last night's stories

in this small town we know the drink
we know the morning after
we know the sobering
and we don't all get loaded or anything
some of us don't drink a drop
but in the cold of this winter some of us drink a lot
and some nights it's a healthy celebration
and on some nights it's not
i've seen people leaving bars so drunk that they can't walk
girls with short skirts looking vulnerable, wandering off
boys with tough talk
their fists clenched with alcohol
i've seen tears shed and friendships ended in the name of a good time had by all
i've seen this all
witnessed people falling over
driving though they were not sober
going home with someone they don't know
to have sex that was only mediocre

20 somethings in this small town say they know how to party
so they grab a bottle and drink it down so they can get started
so they can party harder
'cause it's hardly a party
without their liquid partner
you can see them at the bars
you can see them in the streets eating pizza in the dark
20 somethings in this small town, drinking hard


 - Tanya Davis, "Party Harder"