I

danced

.

w

i

t

h

.

thoughts

.

t

h

a

t

.

made

.

m

e

.

blush . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

danced

.

w

i

t

h

.

thoughts

.

I

.

could

.

n

o

t

.

trust . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

(

)

(

I

.

.

f

e

l

l

.

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

.

.

f

e

l

l

.

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

o

f

–

–

–

a

wild

.

a

n

d

.

winding

ride . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

merging

.

w

i

t

h

.

day . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

merging

.

w

i

t

h

.

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

merging

.

w

i

t

h

.

form . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

merging

.

w

i

t

h

.

light . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ a

wild

.

a

n

d

.

winding

ride,

–

–

which

.

w

a

s

.

not

.

quite

.

cruel,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

not

.

quite

.

kind . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ not

.

quite

.

low,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

not

.

quite

.

high . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

t

–

–

–

the

.

starting

.

line . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ a

wild

.

a

n

d

.

winding

ride,

–

–

which

merged

–

–

even

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

which

merged

–

–

even

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

which

merged

–

–

even

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

t

o

–

–

–

colors,

–

–

shapes,

.

a

n

d

.

forms,

.

.

I

.

h

a

d

.

never

.

experienced

.

before . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ my

safe

.

a

n

d

.

sure,

–

–

moved

.

t

o

.

insecure . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ my

sharp

.

a

n

d

.

clear,

–

– 

whirled

.

i

n

t

o

.

a

.

blur . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

just

.

w

h

e

n

.

I

.

thought,

.

.

i

t

.

.

could

.

bring

.

n

o

.

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

just

.

w

h

e

n

.

I

.

thought,

.

.

i

t

.

.

could

.

bring

.

n

o

.

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

just

.

w

h

e

n

.

I

.

thought,

.

.

i

t

.

.

could

.

bring

.

n

o

.

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

.

d

r

o

p

p

e

d

.

beneath

.

t

h

e

.

floor . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

.

d

r

o

p

p

e

d

.

beneath

.

t

h

e

.

floor . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Miles,

–

–

reaching

miles,

–

–

reaching

miles

–

–

before . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Miles,

–

–

reaching

miles,

–

–

reaching

miles

–

–

before . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Miles,

–

–

reaching

miles,

–

–

reaching

miles

–

–

before . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

sighting

.

s

o

m

e

.

semblance

.

o

f

.

an

.

exit

.

door . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

thought

.

f

o

r

.

sure,

.

.

i

t

.

.

could

get

.

n

o

.

worse . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

it

was

.

m

y

.

voice

.

I

.

heard,

–

–

attacking

.

t

h

e

.

curse . . .

–

–

 ~ my

voice

–

–

beating

.

t

h

e

.

boards

.

.

o

f

.

.

the

.

e

x

i

t

.

door . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

“!ENOUGH!“

.

i

t

.

screamed . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

“!!ENOUGH!!“

.

i

t

.

screamed . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

“!!!ENOUGH!!!“

“!!!!ENOUGH!!!!“

“!!!!!ENOUGH!!!!!“

.

i

t

.

screamed . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

something

must

.

h

a

v

e

.

wanted

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ something

must

.

h

a

v

e

.

wanted

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

I

.

.

f

e

l

l

.

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

.

.

f

e

l

l

.

.

into

.

t

h

e

.

urge . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

much

.

t

h

e

.

same

.

way

.

.

I

.

.

did

.

before.

Reflection: This was a personal struggle-themed poem that I wrote back in November of 2014 where the affected party falls victim to outside influences which grab his/her attention and repeatedly gets drawn into the depths of darkness – having difficulty breaking the negative cycle. 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.