Alchemisland

Waiting for the last bus half midnight I stand like Custer

Across the street Two Liffey Valley Queens

The bright Nitelink lights illuminate two drunk pikeys, Pa and Mikey

One feels sleighted, tempers ignited other passengers feel frightened

Gliders in the night like skaters across a rink

Angry forgotten time beams out of the observatory at Dunsink

Nothing sinks for long in the Liffey, back in a jiffy the stiff you dipped in

Don’t think for a second this place won’t go on without you

Dawn in distant bronze previews itself, gemming syringes in dew

My Guinness glass is a surefire glad maker, what a nice guy

Easily sink ten cups of nightsky.

---

Town more sterile than a lab, me and two lads grabbing a cab to a gaff in Cabra

Driver will probably sell the footage from his dash cam

Mad out of it, nosing keys, a gram just to calm down

Coming down now, mate, there in ten

Coming up hard, lads, where’s me pen

Wave down the taxi before he leaves

Fetch my vape from between the seats

Tap the windows to send off my steed

Across the street Two Liffey Valley Queens cackling obscenely

They’ve seen me, read me and wept

I kept three cans for the sesh

Nearly Lost Mary, a good feed

Of hued smoke, you’d smoke weed

Provided there’s no tobacco

Three knocks I am death

Agin my palm I test my breath

Waves hitting me like the front of a ferry

It stinks of Druids and faintly strawberry

I read red vapes are more dangerous

What illicit chemical flavours them

Breeds death in men

While you can, savour them.

---

On the porch 

Slick the fringe back, take two breaths

Door is opened by someone I’ve never met

I wonder have I the right address

Unlock my phone, find maps and press

Unexpectedly he waves us in no papers please

Behind him the houseguests are mostly damp yokes

Dresses riding up them, place is absolutely wet

Any port in a storm, if she’s bet down I’ll get a couple of cans downed

Turn me frown upside down and get bet in.