The Ballad of Little Willie

little Willie started at age fifteen
bursting upon the drinking scene
he learned it fast he learned it well
and it nearly turned his life to hell

high school came and went in a flash
Saturday school and picking up trash
liquid lunch, debate and band
all the time with a drink in hand

four years by the Severn he honed his skill
learned how to quickly drink his fill
a whole week's fun on a Saturday night
he just couldn't see the depth of his plight

on a sultry night in June, feeling fine
Willie winked at her in the roller-coaster line
soon fair Lynette became his wife
and together they began their new life

he learned to fly he continued to drink
years went by and he still didn't think
that one of these days the time would come
when being a drunk would stop being fun

a night in Japanese jail was tough
but apparently he hadn't suffered enough
his marriage hung by the thinnest thread
but he still used the bottle rather than his head

Willie's third time on Ryukyu isle
Lynette had come to stay for a while
Hong Kong, Brit expats, wine and beer
left her with a belief quite clear

so in a sock drawer she left him a note
directly to his heart it smote
"I love you but not your drinking"
seemed to be what she was thinking

in that moment it struck our Willie
that drinking like he did was rather silly
when "one is too many and a thousand not enough,"
it makes life for everyone around pretty rough

in the blink of an eye Jim Beam he did pour
down the drain in the kitchen - but there was more
the beer he was drinking soon followed it down
and he watched it swirl around and around

Willie watched his old life disappear down the drain
a life often filled with suffering and pain
for fifteen long years he'd lived this curse
briefly recounted here in verse

ten years have passed and our Willie has grown
still with Lynette and the seeds they have sown
two wonderful tykes who bring them great joy
a butterfly princess and a dragon-rider boy

twenty-five years this tale has included
and now it is ready to be concluded
heed the message within it if you choose
take great care and be mindful if you drink booze!