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Between a Rock and a Soft Place
A boulder tumbles, from a cliff to the sea
A rock, a soft place, and the air in between.
On one side there’s trauma, on the other there’s hope
I have parents who care, but I struggle to cope.
The rock gathers moss, as it rolls then it falls
It was forcibly moved, then it fell and lost all.
But what the rock lost, as it plunged to the sea
Was the moss that it gathered, and so it was cleaned.
I drift through life, move from here to there
With no control of my course, like the flow of the air.
I’m the air, and the rock and the sea, all three
Cos, I go with the flow, when life’s hard, but I’m free
Where I land will be soft - the sea
Then, I'll be finally be clean.
Last few words:
This is about overcoming addiction. Was made homeless because of it. And i'm torn between hardship and what is good - being alive and family. The air is where i'm at. but at the same time, im also able to be all three.
Editing stage:
Content level:
Not Explicit Content
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Comments
Geezer
Mon, 2023-02-13 10:50
I like that...
this can be your affirmation and the way to forge new links to reality. You will keep overcoming, never give up! ~ Geezer.
.
There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.
Rosewood Apothecary
Mon, 2023-02-13 16:03
Steps
You just put one foot in front of the other. Then you do it again and again. Sorry you’re struggling. I’m no stranger to substance abuse and it’s pretty consuming. I hope you get settled. Nice job on the poem.
Tim
Michael Keens
Tue, 2023-02-14 06:38
You clean now? My mum
You clean now? My mum told me that wen in height of addiction people get more creative but i just think that's cos we get more desperate and need a distraction. thought?
author commentRosewood Apothecary
Tue, 2023-02-14 09:46
Yeah I don’t drink
Haven’t touched hard drugs in 18 years. I’ve been sober from alcohol for 7. I’m currently still addicted to coffee, cannabis, and creativity.
Tim
Michael Keens
Tue, 2023-02-14 11:44
I've never smoked weed.
I've never smoked weed. heroin and crack but somehow never weed! It seems pretty safe relative to other drugs though. coffee is healthy, Good for your liver. Creativity surely isn't an addiction but if it is then would not go to a CA meeting...
author commentRosewood Apothecary
Tue, 2023-02-14 19:20
There is absolutely no way
…the amount of coffee I drink is good for a human. Lol. Like over half a gallon of it a day!
It is healthier than crack which I also have some experience with. It’s pretty handy if you’re looking to stay up drinking beers for three days. I never really enjoyed it or powdered cocaine very much. I don’t have experience with opiates in a recreational setting. I’m a survivor of a Traumatic Brain Injury and I wouldn’t have gotten through those first four days after brain surgery without morphine. I also learned how gross it makes you feel after and they got me off opiates within a week.
The things we really get addicted to are dopamine and serotonin. The substance are merely different ways to over activate the release of these awesome brain chemicals. I personally am fairly addicted to oxytocin.
I hope you get those demons sorted out,
Tim
Michael Keens
Wed, 2023-02-15 00:30
Re traumatic brain injury, I
Re traumatic brain injury, I was in a coma and shouldn't have lived. Wasn't expected to walk or talk again. Since then, my ability with words seems to have grown! I don't know how much a gallon is, maybe it's how they quantify things in the states. Or where are you from?
author commentRosewood Apothecary
Wed, 2023-02-15 05:31
Roughly 4 liters
A gallon is a bit less than 4 liters. It’s a decent volume of liquid.
Michael Keens
Wed, 2023-02-15 06:00
oh okay, yeah probs not
oh okay, yeah probs not healthy then. but at least keeps you awake like crack so you can read and write. I always hate sleeping cos seems such a waste of life. shud probably drink coffee instead of so much booze
author commentPatrick Terrence
Wed, 2023-02-22 15:01
Moved
I was moved by your poem, Michael, and could see much of myself in the struggles and in the addiction of false thinking and useless self-talk. But your creative Muse seems to be bringing you order out of chaos. Thank you.