A Toxic Craving

I woke up

on the floor

an hour late,

adjacent to

a bottle of wine

that I gulped down

the night before;

the source of my headache.

I was filled

with regret

and was embarrassed by

my actions

for I knew better

than to concede

to my toxic craving.

I assured myself

that I would never

do this again

as I called in sick

at work,

where everyone

was oblivious

to what was happening

in my life.

I got a call

a few hours later;

my boss

praised my performance

on two projects

that I had completed earlier.

She did not know

that I did them

as a functional alcoholic.

She told me

that I would be promoted

and asked me to celebrate

for I truly deserved it.

Those were the words

that my mind needed to hear

as I opened a bottle of whisky

and fell victim to the craving

all over again.