coke bottle

Coke Bottle

I’m no crystal chalice

I’m just an empty coke bottle.

Once I was filled with optimism,

carbonated with capability,

Was sweetened with naive serenity.

And after I met you I believed

Someone could want a sip of me.

I am humble and forward

but my labels are in small print

I am sensitive to being shaken,

And since I am always where you need me to be

I’m easy to use, and easily taken.

I’m what you settle for

When you’ve a dire thirst to fill

But I’m no fancy wine ^[a]vase-

To be caressed and admired with your traveling hands

I’m your coke bottle, compromised and commonplace. ^[b]

You told me we couldn’t be together

You said it’d be too hard.

You blamed it on your timing and your tastes.

You sleep easy every night,

Because coke is so accessible there is no shame in waste.^[c]

You made me believe you were thirsty for reliability  

You told me you wanted me

With sharp tongue and soft touch you teased,

And I wanted you to have me^[d].

But you concluded you couldn't be pleased .^[e]

Sometimes ^[f]I long to be as pristine as your best jeweled glass

but there is no candlelight and cloth for caffeine and sugar-

You save that respectability for chardonnay;

Knowing paper and plastic fit me just  fine^[g],

And you could have me any damn day.

My contents flatten with age,

And my flavor is always the same.

The wines in that crystal are ceaseless and capricious

And I guess I can’t blame you for your choices,

Because by comparison, I’m obviously worth less^[h].

Enjoy your elusive liquid luster^[i]-

Beware of the cracked crystal at her core.

She breaks easy and slips quick.

Her glass and gems are so strong and steady in your fingertips

But she’s only beautiful because she’s the one you  picked.

Don’t think I hate her

We’re just a different breed of tool.

And don’t feel bad- I’ve been sidelined before

For the clean-cut, classy girls like her,

And ^[j]I’m sure I’ll be taken and used some more.

Set your kitchen table with your beloved glass,

And you can toss me out to be recycled

Or keep me around to have someone to throttle.

Chide me for feeling brimming and wanted;

After all: I’m an empty coke bottle.