Branwell Clinic
By seashore
- 13350 reads
Branwell Clinic
by Julia (Overthetop1)
I entered the yellow world
of smoke and curious faces,
clutching my poetry
and vitamin pills - shortly to be confiscated -
(we don't encourage pill-popping of any kind here)
I kept the poetry, but the words scrambled,
So instead I played dominoes
with sweet-faced Patrick, who may have been 55 or 75
He had dried out more times than a shoreline in Summer
his shakes tumbled the dominoes, but still he beat me.
Jason looked as though he belonged to far-off lands –
not Deptford - his emaciated features contorted, as he
sweated through a new drug designed to ease withdrawals,
which was working about as well as Neil's legs -
strong as wood, they splintered under a seizure
whilst Paul, the ferocious right-wing skinhead,
cradled Neil's head in his lap like a baby
and watched over me, my glowering guardian angel.
We had a barbeque in sub-zero weather
and ran like dizzy deer, kicking a football in the snow -
regaling each other with tales of drug-induced catastrophes,
weak with tears of laughter and guilt...
Who will make it through this scheme of shivery sickness,
we asked each other incessantly
You will - you too, I insisted
But I was wrong, as the old-hands had predicted
Not him, not her, despite their protestations
and endurance of pain so severe, they hugged themselves
like their own mothers - continuing to whirl around
the turnstiles of euphoria and desperation.
Me? I left with new poems...
And a new addiction.
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Comments
So pleased this got the PoM,
So pleased this got the PoM, it's a special one.
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Stunning poem.
Hello Carol, stunning poem what Julia wrote. My son David whom I lost twelve years ago, struggled with drugs for years. Eventually they took his life. On a New Years Day. My husband found him at 1pm.. Julia will aways be with you Carol. I 'm very fortunate as I have heard my son many a time. We'll done to Julia for her wonderful poetry. Geraldine.
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I feel like I'm a fly on the wall
Such vivid descriptions. I have clear pictures in my head of what I see through your words. I always like quirky phrases like "55 or 75" - so specific, so different - makes me smile. Thank you.
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To tell a story encompassed
To tell a story encompassed within a poem so well. Just fantastic.
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Hi Coral,
Hi Coral,
I can't believe I missed reading this moving poem. Your daughter was able to express her feelings flawlessly. She must be so sadly missed.
I'm glad you are still around Coral, I do miss so many of our writers that have left suddenly.
Take care and hope you get to read this comment and read your writings too.
Jenny. x
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Hi Coral,
Hi Coral,
no I haven't read her book, but thank you for the thumbs up.
Jenny. xx
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