Poetry / coffee

Sunday, August 03, 2008
Category: Writing and Poetry

coffee

so i laid down my pistols and sold the last of my personal stash.

taking my last hit i smashed my stem on the hallway floor,

ringing the bell desperately to the lockdown ward of a six month rehab,

i took the first step back to the world of the living…...

my mother had died and son was in the hands of strangers.

i lit a cigarette with trembling hands and someone handed me

my first cup of COFFEE!

the rush was fantastic.

syrup sweet and scalding hot,

this black demon hit the spot.

half of it spilled down my dress

staining the silk and burning my chest.

but this new high was the best.

for the next six months we were never alone.

with cigarette in hand, together we’d roam

from one meeting to the next, coffee and me were always at home.

as time came to leave i was racked with fear.

what would i do away from here?

but to my surprise there came a gift

a coffee pot to me, from the night shift.

with coffee and cigarettes in hand i returned to the day.

reunited with my son i was on my way.

coffee and a meeting everyday.

then one day for no reason at all

my son had this look of bitter gall.

“mom this sucks, it been a year”,

“get these cigarettes out of here’’.

“another thing i hate to admit”,

“your coffee kisses tastes like s..t!!!”

what could i do, what could i say?

my son is my heartbeat, the sunshine of my day.

the cigs went in the trash, the coffee down the sink.

there i stood without drugs or drink, feeling like a naked dork.

what would i do to keep clean and sober if my prayers failed to work.

so i reached for the frying pan thanking God for my knife and fork.

i’ve put on many pounds over the years

15 straight, clean and sober although there’ve been tears

my son and i are close as glue, i haven’t any fears.

i have a husband now who loves my chubby look.

and coffee is banned by our religion you can find it in our book.

but everyonce in a while, when no one is looking

take a whiff at my kitchen window, you’ll smell coffee cooking.

yours: a faithful sinner

mrsflrknight2008
All That Jazz
By Ella Fitzgerald
Release date: 1990-06-12

Currently listening :

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Reviews

November 20, 2008

77sunset

No. of Reviews	Overall Quality	Comment Followup
150	90.9% (33 votes)	25.5%

personal info reviewer stats

Age	Gender	Location	Last Login
58	M	Red Bluff, CA	February 26

77sunset reviewed Version 1 - Read 100% of the Item

Delightful. I love your wry sense of humor. I guess you need it living in McKinleyville (is that CA?). I live in Red Bluff now but lived in Eureka for 7 years before getting a job offer over here. We (wife and I; two boys and 1 girl grown all up) still trip over to the coast to see my cousin in Arcata and sister-in-law in Eureka. I entered a contest once with 25 word maximum and I thought that was almost impossible. I also liked how you switched from not rhyming to rhyming. All you need is love, John T.