setting spirits free

last friday night, by the light of the moon, i had a little ritual for
setting the spirits free.
the last few months saw me drinking more and enjoying it less.
i was keeping it a secret, sort of,
hiding beers in the trunk, under the towels, in a drawer,
behind an old board, etc.
so, friday night i went around and picked up all the beer i had stashed
and took it down to the garden by the compost pile.
i took two bottles of corona light
and gently rocked them together like a bell
while i circled around the compost pile,
first counterclockwise, then clockwise,
three times.
then i intoned, "we are here to release these spirits. these hops and barleys are innocent, sweet
living beings trapped in these bottles by capitalists
who would use them to enslave mankind.
it is not their fault.
neither is the spirit of fermentation to blame.
we now release the spirits into this compost pile
where, in another season, they will help good healthy food to grow
to strengthen our bodies and our minds.
let it be so!"
then, my partner and i each began to open and pour
the beers out onto the compost pile
until they were all gone.