Susan Ashley Poet Free verse

Notes About The Poem

 January 9, 2023

~ Third Place ~
Premiere Contest: Addiction
Sponsor: Kai Michael Neumann

~ First Place ~
Contest: N/A
Sponsor: Ink Empress

*Miller High Life: also known as the Champagne of Beers is a classic, American- style lager created in 1903 by Frederick Miller.

**Girl On The Moon: an advertising image for Miller brewing Co. The Girl On The Moon is a century-old image with an innocent and fun appeal found on vintage Miller Beer bottle caps.

***bottle caps are sometimes used by people who abuse heroin to hold and cook their shot when a spoon is unavailable.

Poet’s note: This poem is not autobiographical, but the portrayal of the person who uses opioids could be anyone’s wife/husband, mother/father, sister/brother, friend, co-worker, neighbor, acquaintance. My poem is expressed from a place of empathy for anyone dependent on heroin and for the pain and sorrow of their tragic human experience.

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Girl On the Moon

Fantasy sold on a 50’s bottle cap; 
a party-girl side-saddle sits
on a double-edged crescent moon
up high—a silver scythe in glamour-night-sky
corners of her cherry mouth tilted up
her left hand raises her glass  a toast to the stars
frothy head of champagne-beer flirts
with lips spooning the rim 

right hand holds the bottle instead of reality
look! no hands on a razor’s edge 
precarious  hilarious
a redhead with bouncy-curls and a flouncy-skirt  
boot-heels over head when she laughs and Oops! falls 
clouds catch her without friction and pillow her fiction head ~
        
but you—with wild escapade eyes—fell hard
far beyond Earth with not a soft cloud to cushion you

glam-allure  just a sexy lore  a filthy lure
but once you’ve been star-dusted and angel-dusted
it’s all the same…

vintage Miller bottle cap 
a perfect circle  like the fattened moon face
leering through broken windows
shards glitter the floor like fallen constellations

your black pearl eyes two muddy puddles
life drained through rows of tiny needle holes
slip-knot above your elbow just tight enough
your pulse beats its fist against the restraint
pounding—pounding—pounding 
impatient to be bled and fed

you and this dragon’s den a dilapidated pair
abandoned and without family
you share the blank stare of broken windows
veins collapsed like crumbled staircases
empty inside of empathy and dreams—
a junkie’s spot where shooting stars crash

embers in your bloodstream turn to dust
you cook in a rusted bottle cap by candlelight
candle’s glow your Sun in a dirty universe
you pull back on the syringe with your teeth
this house unused by the living—a cold corpse
but in the warm rush of your skin’s flush
your gaunt gray body melts like hot wax
pale horsehair walls  a slouchy silent witness 
... your soul escapes as it scrapes across the floor

flurries blow in through broken windows
whirl of wind whistles on its rounds like a jailhouse guard
rattling beam-bones  jangling ghost-bones—
user-litter scattered 
like broken-wish bones 

burnt fingertips and a "High Life" bottle cap 
   all that’s left

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Karen Jones November 28, 2024 at 1:33 AM Wow you did a wonderful job with this just love your word choices and vivid imagery! Congratulations on your win! Susan Ashley November 29, 2024 at 8:27 AM Dear Karen, thank you for your gracious visit and kind congrats. I revel in your wonderful response to my poem. Warmest wishes my poet friend.. ~Susan

L. J. Carber July 23, 2024 at 8:18 AM Very powerful! You have some great metaphorical imagery here, Susan-- showing the naked, soulless tragedy of addiction... congrats, my friend Susan Ashley August 25, 2024 at 12:10 PM Dear L.J., poet friend, please accept my apologies for my late reply to your insightful and inspiring comments. Life has been overflowing the brim with good busy-ness these days :) Thank you for sharing your treasured thoughts and kind congrats. Your esteemed words touch me deeply. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Howard Kerr July 16, 2024 at 8:01 AM Susan, I am completely overwhelmed with emotions of the most heartfelt, most human kind having absorbed this profound piece on a deeply disturbing topic. You have crafted and sculpted your literary slant with tremendous empathy, tender tact, and a unique understanding that is peerless in its magnanimity. Congratulations Howard Susan Ashley July 20, 2024 at 10:44 AM Dear Howard, your soulful response to my poem touched me deeply. Thank you for sharing in the emotions/imagery of this poem with me. Your amazing comments are an inspiration to receive and the beauty of your empathy shines. I wrote a companion piece to this, the first poem on this subject, Girl With Black Pearl Eyes, if you're interested in giving it a read. It was posted on 12/27/22. Your kind congrats are truly appreciated. Warmest wishes my poet friend.. ~Susan

Ink Empress July 12, 2024 at 3:04 AM Dear talented soul, when i read the title, i was already intrigued to read this poem, so catchy! And the depth of this moonlit poem and your wordplay truly blew me away and left me in awe captivated! And mesmerized by the flow of your lines flowing in such eloquence! I can never understand how you would ever get an na! And im not surprised that this poem belongs to you! Beautiful! So poignant and profound with soulstirring emotions.Thank you for sharing! Congratulations on your win! Susan Ashley July 20, 2024 at 10:38 AM Dear Empress, soulful poetess, I am ever grateful for your ability to uplift and inspire me with your beautiful comments. Indeed, over the years, I have acquired more N/A's than placements. I appreciate you giving this N/A'd poem another breath of life. Thank you for sharing in the emotions/imagery of this poem with me. It is an honor to place in your contest and to be among the talented poets listed as well. Your kind congrats are treasured. Warmest wishes my sweet friend and gifted poetess.. ~Susan

Duke Beaufort July 3, 2024 at 3:02 PM Susan, you’ve poetically described the scene of despair, solitude, and suffering. It’s awful to think about how easily it could happen. Just a moment of despair and the downward spiral can take hold. Like opening a bottle. It could just be a matter of bad luck in terms of susceptibility and lifestyle. There’s no shortage of victims. Susan Ashley July 3, 2024 at 5:43 PM Dear Duke, indeed, your enlightened words ring true.. " There's no shortage of victims", unfortunately. The beauty of your empathy/compassion shines through your words. Opioid abuse is heartbreaking, as is the struggle with any addiction. Somehow, some way, more needs to be done to help people/families struggling with these issues. Thank you for sharing your perceptive views on opioid abuse/addiction and the merits of my poem. There is a companion piece to this one titled "Girl with the Black Pearl Eyes", if you'd like to check it out, I'd be honored. Warmest wishes my poet friend.. ~Susan

Bill Baker December 11, 2023 at 9:55 PM What an exceptionally clear picture your poetry paints, Suze. Hard to believe you know of this life so explicitly. It is a tragic existence, barely life at all. The introduction information was interesting and helpful, it enhanced the reading experience. Thanks for sharing this important information, I pray it will be of help to some lost soul or a caregiver. Have a pleasant week, my dear friend. Hugs, Bill Susan Ashley December 13, 2023 at 6:26 PM Dear Bill, this poem and its companion poem Girl With The Black Pearl Eyes seemed to just come to me from somewhere out of the blue. The verses just flowed as if being dictated to me from beyond the veil. My daughter is a psychologist who councils addicts and she read my poem in one of her groups and said her patients were amazed that I was never a user.. isn't that crazy? I think the muse has wisdom your intellect isn't aware of. My heart goes out to people afflicted with the disease of addiction. Thank you for your gracious visit and kind words my inspiring friend. Warmest wishes.. ~Suze

Robert Lindley September 21, 2023 at 3:56 PM My friend, this is truly a dark exceptional new creation. Your fine verses sing out to this old poet's heart. a glistening jewel and a fine fav for me. God bless you Robert Lindley September 22, 2023 at 7:35 AM Also, I love your poet's note too. God bless.. Robert Lindley September 22, 2023 at 7:34 AM My friend, your poem inspired me , I am working on a new dark poem. God bless you. Susan Ashley September 22, 2023 at 7:10 AM My dear friend, thank you for spending time with this harrowing poem depicting the irony and agony of drug addiction. I truly appreciate your thoughtful comments, Robert, and the honor of your fav. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Jennifer Proxenos January 20, 2023 at 12:04 AM This poem is sad, no country can honestly say that their population is exempt from this horrid addiction, people are labelled and cannot shake off this scourge, this affliction which grips them holistically and renders them useless to society and 9 times out of ten kills them. A wonderful brilliant poem written with your breathtaking enormous poetic talent and eloquent style. Blessings by the score dearest Susan, my poetry sis and may 2023 be a year of health and happiness. Love and hugs Jenny Susan Ashley January 22, 2023 at 8:08 AM Dearest Jennifer, my lovely poetry sis, indeed the use of illegal drugs, are unfortunately, everywhere around the world. The tragic toll taken on affected users, their families and society is incalculable. The antidote is continued access to drug treatment facilities and a sense of compassion to make available a space for positive change to occur. Thank you for sharing in the emotions of this poem with me and for sharing your treasured thoughts. The honor of your friendship and sistership is held in the depths of my appreciative heart. Warmest wishes, love and hugs sent to you, my dear friend.. ~Susan

Sara Kendrick January 19, 2023 at 3:12 AM Very descriptive, emotive and expressive lines you have penned in this one. I feel for anyone addicted and the families that have to deal with the addict. Sad that the illegal drugs can't stopped. It would be a better world without them. Thanks for sharing and for dropping by my page. Sara Susan Ashley January 22, 2023 at 7:50 AM Dear Sara, I agree, it would be a better world without illegal drug trafficking. Your compassionate heart shines in the tender tone of your comments. Thank you, Sara, for sharing your treasured thoughts with me. You're welcome for my visit to your page, my friend. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Panagiota Romios January 19, 2023 at 12:53 AM A incredible work, such marvelous talent,Susan. I remember those bottle caps! I also worked with alcoholics in LockWards in Chicago Hospitals. The dual addictions of alcohol plus drugs are anathema. But, people do not understand, That God must be in the picture!Many do recover, some do not. These days it’s addiction to food, the same steps used in AA are applicable to both addictions, all addictions are life out of control. Including addiction to sex and gambling,I pray for all these.PR~ Susan Ashley January 22, 2023 at 7:56 AM Dear Pangie, the beauty of your faith and empathy shines in the depth of your tender thoughts. What wonderful work you've done to help people who abuse alcohol and drugs. I agree there can be an addiction to anything that is abused in excess. Thank you for sharing in the emotions of this poem with me. Your insightful comments are cherished and received with gratitude. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Timothy Ray January 13, 2023 at 12:19 PM i struggle with the content, not the craft dear colleague...i counseled psychiatric disorders/substance abuse, only men, only alcohol/prescription drugs...this area never entered my world dear colleague...excellent execution line by line...blessings this day upon you and yours Susan Ashley January 13, 2023 at 4:52 PM Dear Timothy, it's a delight to see you! I'm honored to receive your visit and I revel in your heartfelt thoughts. I imagine you to have been an excellent and compassionate counselor for those in need, I'm sure you served them very well indeed. Thank you for sharing in the emotions of this poem with me. The beauty of your empathy shines not only in your comments but in your tender poetry as well. Thank you, my dear friend. Warmest wishes for a healthy and happy new year.. ~Susan

Paul Callus January 12, 2023 at 4:21 AM This is an excellent sequel to your previous poem on the same theme, "The Girl With The Black Pearl Eyes", Susan. In my childhood days we collected bottle tops as a hobby; a pity their use now includes drug taking. ~ Thank you for the footnotes which gave me a helping hand. ~ Warm regards and hugs, my friend // paul Susan Ashley January 13, 2023 at 8:08 AM Dear Paul, it is a delight to see you! I'm so glad to know you think highly of this sequel to "The Girl With The Black Pearl Eyes". Both you poetic and personal insights are cherished. I remember kids having bottle cap collections too when I was young.. I was always amazed by the artwork and the amount of information a small bottle cap could convey. Thank you for sharing your time with my poem. Your precious thoughts are held in my deepest appreciation. Warmest wishes and hugs, my friend.. ~Susan

Brian Sambourne January 11, 2023 at 7:32 AM "Girl On the Moon" powerfully reveals how addiction crushes life. It alters perception, relationships, inner peace, motivation + so much more. Your poem, Susan, captures the addict in her decay - the "gaunt gray body" - memorable + tragic. A posting valued for its all too stark reality. Be well. Brian Susan Ashley January 13, 2023 at 7:51 AM Dear Brian, your gracious visit and precious thoughts are treasured. Indeed, drug addiction "crushes life" and is a tragedy for the user and their family and friends. The feelings of loss and helplessness must be overwhelming. Thank you, for your insightful and poignant comments. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Joanna Daniel January 11, 2023 at 6:38 AM Such brokenness painfully portrayed through your astounding poetry, Susan, brilliant:) Susan Ashley January 13, 2023 at 7:44 AM Dear Jo, thank you for your gracious visit and for your heartfelt comments. Your compassionate words convey your sincere and tender spirit. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Ann Foster January 10, 2023 at 8:42 AM The blank stare of broken windows... So beautiful written... cold and warm and serious, profound... Ann Susan Ashley January 10, 2023 at 8:39 PM Dear Ann, your visit is received with gratitude as are your precious thoughts. Thank you, for sharing in the emotions of this poem with me. Warmest wishes for a happy new year.. ~Susan

Michael Tor January 9, 2023 at 5:54 PM Heartfelt read Susan you have painted a scenerio that hits home in todays society. A dark world that you so eloquently shared. Love this piece. Thanks for sharing... Susan Ashley January 9, 2023 at 6:10 PM Hi Michael, it’s wonderful to see you! Thank you for sharing your time with this poem and for sharing your thoughts with me. I’m so glad that it resonated with you. Your kindness and compassionate shines, my friend. Warmest wishes for a happy new year to you and yours.. ~Susan

Vijay Pandit January 9, 2023 at 1:57 PM Another brilliant write, Susan, on the plight of addicts whose lives are wasted away or as you so ably describe:--leering through broken windows — shards glitter the floor like fallen constellations... Kudos my friend for highlighting the ills lurking in society. A definite FAVE from me for your poetic brilliance. Susan Ashley January 9, 2023 at 4:05 PM Dear Vijay, your compassionate response to the social ills depicted in my poem is touching. The beauty of your empathy shines, my friend. Thank you for sharing in the emotions of this poem with me. The honor of your friendship and fave are deeply appreciated. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan

Ann Peck January 9, 2023 at 11:10 AM Dear Susan, A wonderful, sad poem you paint of a life wasted. Yet, what can we do if they don't want to quit? I hear of it daily about a friend's nephew--64. Too old to change, I guess. It's a terrible problem our country has. Thank you for speaking of it. Susan Ashley January 9, 2023 at 11:29 AM Dear Ann, thank you for the delight of your visit and for sharing in the emotions of this poem with me. I feel your turmoil, and yes, it is a terrible problem for our country and for the people caught in the vicious cycle of drug abuse. Their families and friends suffer too. The only antidote is continued access to drug treatment facilities and a sense of compassion to make available a space for positive change to occur. I'm sorry to hear about your friend's nephew.. but I feel that so long as there is breath and a heartbeat in his body there is hope for him to get clean.. and I pray that he does. Warmest wishes, my friend.. ~Susan