Drank bootleg whiskey in my youth
Letcher County, Kentucky had its prohibition
Challenge and adventure to find the devil
Learning to disregard its bite our mission
In the beginning terrible the taste
Gradually coming to enjoy the effects
Still drinking too much way too fast
Ending up one helluva wreck
Same as the case with much in life
Wish I’d known then what I know now
Sipping smooth bourbon brought more fun
Than ending up sideways wandering how
Left that dry county to join the Army
Funny how you find yourself alone
Buddies just like you all around
Christmas is sad when you’re not home
Sooner or later you’ll find your boys
Coming from many different walks of life
Drank my bourbon and they their choice
Sharing war stories or our past strife
Bootleg Wild Turkey bought in Dahuk
Drank with my brothers Christmas of 04
Needing to ease the hurting inside
Saluting our warriors lost days before
Too many nights sipping bourbon on ice
Shared with brothers from that very day
Would lose others to whiskey and whatever
To mourn without whiskey a better way
Over time I developed my drink of choice
Imbibing most evenings regardless of season
Could I have saved some of my brothers
If I only drank whiskey for no reason
JBentley-26July2023