Impaired

Caleb Warner

You’re at a party

A friend’s party

You’re having a good time

A few drinks won’t hurt

A few more won’t hurt

A little more won’t hurt

Not at all, you say

To yourself in that calm,

Soothing voice that is the

Sound of a drunken man

It’s time to go, they say

Parents should be home soon

Got to get out

You see your car

You see your keys

The thought doesn’t register

In your impaired brain cells

That you could really hurt yourself

That you could really kill yourself

No, you say

Nothing like that could happen

I’m perfectly fine

You’re driving

It’s 1:00

You’re going 65 in a

25 zone

Dangerous

Sleepy, you feel

Tired, you want to

Rest…

You lie in the

Hospital, bandaged

Lying down

Drugged up with morphine

To kill the pain of the

Hole in you head

They say you might not make it.