"Why aren't you drinking"
they asked
As I sipped a soft drink
at the bar
Choruses of:
"You're boring"
"Come on, don't let me drink alone!"
"One won't hurt"
echo against the glassware
My people pleasing attitude wants to help the people around me feel more comfortable
...at a big cost to myself.
So I order one
and then another
and suddenly I am alone;
the last person at the bar
One won't hurt.
I've overslept.
I've not eaten breakfast.
I'm at work,
nursing a headache from hell.
One won't hurt that much.
I put off my workout plan until tomorrow.
I decide to buy takeaway instead of cooking with the vegetables I bought the day before.
I sit there numb.
Because with alcohol I am a shell
- barely functioning.
But still, I am functioning.
One won't hurt.
Until that one turns into another
and the lines of my healthy boundaries are so blurred that it doesn't even seem to matter anymore.
So the next time someone asks me
if I would like a drink
I hope I have the strength to put
myself first
and politely say
No.
-
Author:
Draven (
Offline) - Published: July 16th, 2022 07:42
- Comment from author about the poem: I'm older and wiser now, this people pleasing attitude in regards to drinking is mostly over, but it is still interesting to see the problems of my past creep into today.
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 29
- Users favorite of this poem: L. B. Mek
Offline)
Comments4
It's like Teddy says - not that I drink myself. It only burns my tummy inside.
Some may seem a bore for not having a drink, but some can become a bore after too many drinks.
You are so right.
Lessons leant for us all at times Draven in this honest write - the best answer to say when the old invite comes out that" one wont hurt " - -is that valuable word of No
I clicked on the poem because the title piqued my curiosity. And as a former alcoholic this resonates.
My favorite verses:
𝘐 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸.
𝘐 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘐 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦.
𝘐 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣.
𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘤𝘰𝘩𝘰𝘭 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭
- 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭, 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.
Story of my life. I spent 10 years of my life trapped in a bottle and a cycle. I praise God for pulling me from that pit. Now that I am clear-eyed and clear headed for the first time in my adult life, I am never looking back!
All the best in keeping up the healthy choices! 💗 Thank you for sharing your poetry.
'I sit there numb.
Because with alcohol I am a shell
- barely functioning.
But still, I am functioning.
One won't hurt.
Until that one turns into another
and the lines
of my healthy boundaries are so blurred
that it doesn't even seem to matter'..
so accurate, so relatable
so vulnerable, so brave!
(I read and learn)
Brilliant!
(forgive me, dear poet
I've been missing your posts lately
will try and check-in more often)
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