By His Own Hand

An important man.

A viable, valuable,

highly educated,

well thought of man.

An architect, this

highly in demand man.

“Learn this new

technology,”

he was told.

“The computer

is here to stay,”

he was told.

But, “No, not me!”

The viable, valuable

well thought of man

said, “No computer

for me!”

“Sorry, then,

 you’re gone then!”

the man was told.

“Learn now!

Work now on the

computer!”

The highly educated.

architectural,

man was told. 

“Learn now!”

He was warned.

But, “No, not me!”

The viable, valuable,

well thought of man,

forced from his work,

now trading his skill

for a bottle.

Trading his highly

demanded skill

for a bottle.

So now,

now, ten years past,

so now,

by his own making,

this important man.

This viable, valuable,

highly educated,

well thought of man,

listening to no one,

taking no advice.

By his own making,

in his own world.

the bottle now

his only friend.

By his own hand,

morning to night,

by his own hand,

forever holding the glass

of amber fluid.

By his own making,

now an unshaven,

incontinent,

fall down drunk.

By his own hand,

spurned by  all

that know him,

driving away

all that knew him.

This important man,

this viable, valuable,

highly educated,

well thought of man,

by his own hand...