Perspectives from Poisons

In the catalogue of human experiences we all share-the rush of a good day, the weight of a bad one, the complexities of love and loss, the journey to find ourselves-there's nothing truer than our pursuit for a life we can bask in. We chase those good feelings with whatever we have on hand, and there's nothing quicker than a drink.

We drink to have fun, or to forget all the burdens that stop us from having fun; all the stress, heartache, and milieu of the daily grind disappears down the hatch with our favorite cocktail. We search for what different feelings need and we indulge them accordingly. Maybe wine makes you feel more seductive and confident. Maybe vodka makes you bold. Maybe whiskey comforts you with its warmth. The ways alcohol changes you can be empowering, but the toxic undertones linger, too.

Through dark and dreamy verse, poet Samantha Mineroff implores you to dig deeper into yourself to find who you are at your most vulnerable, your most honest.

Poisons invites you to live in the moment and appreciate what is at your fingertips. While you're sipping on your beverage, what is it that your drink thinks of you? Would that glass of wine think you're impressive? Would that shot of vodka laugh at your jokes? Would that whiskey keep you warm on the way home, or make you regret the party you just left?

Mineroff's poetry encourages us to explore these questions, to imbibe in the "why" behind our vices, and what we can discover about ourselves within them.