Down In The Wine Cellar: An Anthology

Written by Emma Wallace

CW: blood imagery, death/murder, toxic relationship

Prompt: Strawberry Wine – Noah Kahan

I love you, every fibre, you remind me of moments passed.

Every breath that I have taken. Every breath that you will take.

Drink up your strawberry wine, strawberry and blackberry wine,

Homemade wine, made with intention and love... drink up, my belove’d.

You are sottish and slow, giggle and hiccup, I give a grin.

I sip on whiskey, no fruit for me. For you though there’s plenty.

Would you take another bottle, my dear? A little, not much.

Fin’lly, your head lolls and your breathing slows too, slow and slower.

Quiet ensues, cushioning my actions. I love you... I do.

Empty space will all too soon follow, but what am I to do?

I lose you, but are you lost if I know where you lay unhurt?

Anyway, I bury your bones in plywood and shovel in the dirt.

Six feet’s not a lot of distance but I guess it’ll have to do.

You enjoyed the strawberry wine because darling, I love you.

Prompt: Cherry Wine – Hozier

Your fist closed tight as your strength would allow,

Your sweat trickles down your concern creased brow.

Your fingers slowly relax to reveal-

Your palm has rich cherry crescents to heal.

Cherry wine flows from the wounds that you sport,

Sweet red, not the colour I planned to court.

Why do you, like there’s frost, shake, shiver and coil—

Frost covers the ground, hardening the soil.

You tell me that I’m yours and your mine,

Addicted to the taste of cherry wine.

I’ll have that taste ‘til I sicken myself,

You’ll ne’er get sick, but I’ll choose my own wealth.

Cherry wine doesn’t just flow through your veins but,

Clouds the whites of your eyes due to tear ruts.

You give me your all, such dedication,

I hide my thoughts as I drink my cherry ration.

One grows used to the sweet cherry taste,

A ration I think owed and will soon waste.

Pomegranate Wine

My folly skewed the image of our circumstance,

We glanced back and forth, quite the silly little dance.

I gave in just for the sake of entertainment,

Anyway, what is a heart all crooked and bent.

I grasped the sweet pomegranate with intention,

My true thoughts, darling, I will not care to mention.

A glass of wine, bittersweet, pomegranate wine,

Take a sip, then we’ll see what happens down the line.

Six sips of wine, and now half of your life is mine.

The wine was strong, you’d ne’er suspect anything was wrong.

When I grow board of your pleas, I’ll let you go free.

But for now it’s my rule – I’ve made you quite the fool.

Elderflower Wine

Something light and floral should do the trick,

Elderflower’s perfect for the season.

To celebrate, for it hasn’t come quick,

I’m thriving now, I have come to reason.

It’s over now - breathe a sigh of relief,

I’m freed and only now see my sorrow.

I seek self-forgiveness for all my grief,

Logic knows who to blame, soon I’ll follow.

The crushing guilt, shame and embarrassment,

Gone as I let elderflower wash o’er.

Thoughts that are no longer a moment spent,

Like a phoenix from fire, my mind does soar.

Little flowers of hope sprout all around,

It’s over now, I can fin’lly sleep sound.