DEMON IN A BOTTLE

Demons invade my head
They join forces to overpower me
I fight but I falter
I am not strong enough to resist
They are the same demons that my father battled
And his father before him
They have taken up housekeeping deep within me
They grow stronger while I grow weak
I know they are there
I cannot deny them
Every day I tell myself
No more, this is the end
And yet, once again
I lift that glass
The fruit of the vine takes me in
As I take it in
I am lost in its inviting nectar
Drowning my sorrows once again
I know I must stop or perish
But stop I cannot
I am its slave
As were the generations before me
This time I tell myself I will win
This time I win or die

Ann Christine Tabaka was born and lives in Delaware. She is a published poet, an artist, a chemist, and a personal trainer. She loves gardening, cooking, and the ocean. Chris lives with her husband and two cats. Her poems have been published in numerous national and international poetry journals, reviews, and anthologies. Chris has been selected as the resident Haiku poet for Stanzaic Stylings.