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

.

e

v

e

n

.

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

which

merged

.

e

v

e

n

.

more . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

which

merged

.

e

v

e

n

.

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,

–

– 

merged

.

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

.

e

x

i

t

.

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

a

t

.

same

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 that 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.