It

.

w

a

s

.

dark,

.

.

b

u

t

.

.

then

.

it

.

w

a

s

.

light . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

was

.

n

o

t

.

wrong,

.

.

b

u

t

.

.

wasn’t

.

q

u

i

t

e

.

right . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

dipped

.

m

y

.

toe

into

.

t

h

e

.

eye,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

told

myself

.

t

o

.

fight . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

.

t

o

l

d

.

myself

.

t

o

.

fight . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

to

resist

.

t

h

e

.

slide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

the

storm

.

d

i

d

.

smile . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

the

storm

.

d

i

d

.

entice . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

that’s

what

.

g

e

t

s

.

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

each

.

a

n

d

.

every

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ it

.

g

e

t

s

.

me . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

each

.

a

n

d

.

every

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

because

.

e

v

e

n

.

though

.

i

t

.

tells

.

m

e

.

everything

will

.

b

e

.

alright . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ everything

will

.

b

e

.

just

fine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

this

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

y

o

u

–

–

–

know

.

h

o

w

.

much

.

I

.

like

.

t

o

. 

wine,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

dine,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

dance

.

w

i

t

h

.

the

lie . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

like

.

t

o

.

dance

.

w

i

t

h

.

the

lie . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

dance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

dance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

l

l

–

–

–

hours

.

o

f

.

the

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

dance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

dance . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

until

daylight

.

o

p

e

n

s

.

her

eyes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

.

I

close

.

t

h

e

.

blinds . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

close

.

t

h

e

.

blinds . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

close

.

t

h

e

.

blinds . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

close

.

t

h

e

.

blinds . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

.

.

.

I

.

c

a

n

. 

dim

.

t

h

e

.

light,

–

–

which

reminds 

.

m

e

.

of

times . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

when

.

m

y

.

life 

.

w

a

s

.

mine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ it

reminds 

.

m

e

.

of

times . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

when

.

m

y

.

life 

.

w

a

s

.

mine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

.

I 

.

h

a

d

.

a

.

mind

which

.

c

o

u

l

d

. 

clearly

decide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

had

.

a

.

mind

which

.

c

o

u

l

d

. 

clearly

decide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

before

.

I

.

f

e

l

l

.

hostage

.

t

o

.

the

twisting,

–

–

turning

tides . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

before

.

I

.

f

e

l

l

.

hostage

.

t

o

.

the

twisting,

–

–

turning

tides . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

before

.

I

.

f

e

l

l

.

hostage

.

t

o

.

the

twisting,

–

–

turning

tides . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

h

a

t

–

–

–

bring

.

t

h

e

.

lows . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

bring

.

t

h

e

.

highs . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

.

dip

.

m

y

.

toe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

begin

.

t

o

.

slide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

.

dip

.

m

y

.

toe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

begin

.

t

o

.

slide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

.

dip

.

m

y

.

toe . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

begin

.

t

o

.

slide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

t

o

–

–

–

the

storm

.

w

h

i

c

h

.

smiles.

Reflection: This was a personal struggle-themed poem that I wrote back in October of 2014 where the affected party likes to flirt with temptation and repeatedly gets drawn into the depths of the darkness and chaos it brings – being addicted to the “ride.” It seems this will be a lifelong, all-consuming struggle and that the affected party will never be able to escape the forces of temptation, addiction, compulsion, and distraction. The struggle can represent any temptation, addiction, compulsion, or distraction type: drugs, alcohol, sex, gambling, obsessions, etc.