Stretching

May 20

STRETCHING

Stretching is not equivalent to change.  Limbering is nice and warms the muscles, body and soul.  Over-reaching, over-compensation is trauma; it distorts the symmetry and breeds erroneous thinking.  Extension beyond the bounds sets me up for a fall.  I misinterpret touching with fingertips with a firm and able grasp.  I don’t step forward because I believe I have a hand on things, failing to see how this is different from an embrace.  The sinew tears and the fabric of my life is destroyed.  I lean forward but I go nowhere.

Open an old letter and read it with a fresh mind.

*

Inspection

My disease paid a discourtesy call on my bourgeoning sobriety.

Peeked in to look for cracks in my foundation,

weaknesses to exploit.

I recognized the patch job I had toyed with

would have made the easiest of targets for this eroding thug.

I am ever so grateful that I cleaned off all the bricks

and made new mortar.

Built on bedrock my re-laid block

will withstand the indignity of the pounding prodding sickness

which used to inhabit this once dilapidated space.

I can keep the villain at bay

and live my cozy life thanks to a true level

and the handsome turn of my trowel.

You are reading selections from Sober on the Way to Sane and More Lines From My Life by Sherrie Theriault

http://www.amazon.com/Sober-On-The-Way-Sane/dp/1440417342/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388576888&sr=8-1&keywords=sober+on+the+way+to+sane

http://www.amazon.com/More-Lines-From-My-Life/dp/1448677203/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388576956&sr=8-1&keywords=More+Lines+From+My+Life

Inspection

May 22

Inspection

My disease paid a discourtesy call on my bourgeoning sobriety.  Peeked in to look for cracks in my foundation; weaknesses to exploit.  I recognized the patch job I had toyed with would have made the easiest of targets for this eroding thug.  I am ever so grateful that I cleaned off all the bricks and made new mortar.  Built on bedrock my re-laid block will withstand the indignity of the pounding, prodding sickness which use to inhabit this once dilapidated space. I can keep the villain at bay and live my cozy life thanks to a true level and the handsome turn of my trough.

Personal knowledge is not the same as group knowledge

*

SPACE

I stand behind the podium

And talk about the event horizon

Which brought me into these rooms.

My audience, other unwitting astronauts,

Whose lives, like mine were deconstructed

By the Black Hole of addiction

Though the time and place may be different

The physics of compulsion and allergy

Are precise and repetitive

Nodding heads affirm my calculations

To be accurate with the vectors

And trajectories of their own experience

I conclude, with the gratitude of a reassembled life

And pray, with gravity

For my feet to stay on the ground.

Streatching

May 20

STRETCHING

Stretching is not equivalent to change.  Limbering is nice and warms the muscles, body and soul.  Over-reaching, over-compensation is trauma; it distorts the symmetry and breeds erroneous thinking.  Extension beyond the bounds sets me up for a fall.  I misinterpret touching with fingertips with a firm and able grasp.  I don’t step forward because I believe I have a hand on things, failing to see how this is different from an embrace.  The sinew tears and the fabric of my life is destroyed.  I lean forward but I go nowhere.

Open an old letter and read it with a fresh mind.

*

Inspection

My disease paid a discourtesy call on my bourgeoning sobriety.

Peeked in to look for cracks in my foundation,

weaknesses to exploit.

I recognized the patch job I had toyed with

would have made the easiest of targets for this eroding thug.

I am ever so grateful that I cleaned off all the bricks

and made new mortar.

Built on bedrock my re-laid block

will withstand the indignity of the pounding prodding sickness

which used to inhabit this once dilapidated space.

I can keep the villain at bay

and live my cozy life thanks to a true level

and the handsome turn of my trough.