[harley]

I wrote a poem for a friend of mine battling alchoholism. after reading it to a friend of mine, she suggested i post it in a pd forum. so.. i am..

The Edge of Awareness

He stands in the corner of humanity,
aloof to the naked eye.
The desires of recognition are strong.
Yet perceptions of his calloused tent
keep his peace in the background.

The urges are still there.
Memories will not allow him
to throw away the bottle entirely.
Carefully placed at his feet,
He contemplates its importance.

The cane he holds fast to
Is designed for continual change.
The hard days of discovery
have been paid in full.
He leans on the security of wisdom.

His face a chiseled crevasse,
is aged with refined dignity
Each line placed in position
is God’s proof to his survival.
He is the embodiment of grace defined.

Embittered thought is subsiding
His heart heals from the blaze
and emerges scared yet triumphant.
He knows the depth of a soul.
The span of his life has encompassed it.

The master’s hands smooth the rough canvas.
Slowly, the canes and bottles turn to dust
and a light grows round him.
God cradles His child and whispers to him,
“Yes,
you are beautiful.”

© laura j dean