Poem: Maturity

There was a time
when all I'd need
was a shot
of bar whiskey.

I'd take one shot
and all'd be fine
erasing all the
bad from my mind.

Then a little
time would pass
and one more
would be a gas.

Later too
I'd have another
and buy one
for my bar brother

For some time
this worked out fine
drinking down
all woes of mine

Eventually the times
did change

then no amount
could rearange

the pain and worry
of my life

the problems grew
and soon were rife

but no matter
how I tried

the only one
I could confide

the painful worries
of my think

was the glass
from which
I'd drink

And so I turned
to friends more hardy
drugs the kind
not found at parties

and they worked
but not forever
thus I found
I was not clever

Naked, freezing
cold in jail
with no friend
to make my bail

And while my schoolmates learned to be
I was learning how to flee

so now that I am finally sober
it's mine to learn to live all over

All the skills I learned
from the glass
from the needles
and smoking grass

these are tools
I now worthless
and I'm finding
mostly mirthless

though forever I'll persist
until my sadness will desist

Until I learn to love quite freely
until I find myself appealing

For I've learned it's all inside
and there is no place to hide

for every moment I repress
will one day demand redress

and though I used to put it off
I know the truth now; Nothing's Lost

To deal with everything I am
is the job of this one man

and though the many may drink to live
I find my purpose is to give

to the people who like me
feel compeled to only flee

and if I help just one other
I will have earned

the title
of "Brother."