His Wretched Prison
I turned away to hide my tears when his eyes were blurred
and frowned with a sigh each time his words were slurred
Foolishly, he thought by closing his door I wouldn't know
that he'd given in to the demon causing sorrow and woe
He was drowning himself in whirlpools on the Vodka Sea
I wanted to save him from the haunting plague of misery
I begged and pleaded for him to get the help he needed
but my pleas were met with blank stares; left unheeded
When sober he said, "I love you. I'm sorry for being weak"
I smiled as my tears spilled, but no reply did I try to speak
I swallowed the words that would sound condescending
but no longer did I say, "It's ok." I was tired of pretending
Pensive at finding bottles he thought were cleverly hidden
I cursed the temptation that should have been forbidden
In loneliness I lived, although he lay sprawled on the floor
in the room he shared with a friend, behind a closed door
He once told me that before seeking help, he'd rather die
My heart was wounded and scarred when he refused to try
It was a bitter day when I walked away; sullen and grieving
The hardest decision I ever made was staying or leaving
I've often wondered if there was more I could have done
But reflected that each day would be a continuous rerun
of his fight against the demon that ruled his mind and soul
In time I realized that his addiction was beyond my control
How wretched a prison it must be for him to wander alone
Willing or not, he forfeited love that had been deeply sown
I wept for what could have been a marriage, forever shared
but torn asunder by harsh words when his temper flared
Now, when I hear Adele singing, "We Could've Had it All"
I'm engulfed in sadness knowing he couldn't stop his fall
I heard he nearly died a few months back, and what I felt
was pity that he still played with the hand his demon dealt
December 26, 2020
Addiction Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Rob Levasseur
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a
Premium Membership.
