Nature of the beast

The lines on the face
of a story untold.
The voice lightly trembled
as emotions unfold.
The fist as it clenched
recalling the wrath.
The peril of the journey
distorting the path.
That awkward withdrawal
to avoid further pain.
The solace of the bottle 
to avoid the insane.
The fear of failure
from a callow youth.
The flight of a coward
avoiding the truth.
The cries of a lover
mourning what's lost.
The regret of a squanderer
counting the cost.
It's the tale of so many
no stranger at the feast.
It's the nature of us all,
The nature of the beast.