In Line for the Barrel Room//Adam Mckee

bare in mind this is all true

i was David

my arm still strong, my aim still true; my careful picked stone, slung clean ‘tween giant’s sight;
my flock safe, delivered from beast and brutes; my spot in this line behind you, fellow drunkard;
my name many, my years too

oh, i see the doubt wide in your eyes
so now i can call you brother

this rain touches us all and remembers
damn the cover to this bar
the music harps at us here

i was Goliath

our victory assured ‘spite how you see me now; beheaded, beaten, by my own brave self; i was
looming, i was craned, i was knew to no equal; but there’s always that voice in your head; the
little one, eager to press its stone thumb

my brother, listen, please
i have been all these men and more
all the names you knew

what’s there to have, or keep for yourself
once i’ve died, twice i’ve died
again in this line, i pray they just let me in

i was Solomon. King

it was not hard fought, toiled for, or won; it was not mine to begin with; given my name, given
my riches, it's tired fame; i’ve spent it all, easily as rain; so now please, dear brother, when they
do let you in; could you not, out of kindness, fill a cup for me and drink it all yourself

Adam Mckee (he/him) is from Oregon and spent part of his childhood in North Carolina & Georgia. He has loved poetry since elementary school, but has only recently started writing it himself.