Junkie

Hair of the Dog contest - Tap #1.

There’s nothing left
only this empty gnawing feeling
like a hollow pit
in my stomach
no more injections,
no more
of you
to shoot up
and I got the shakes,
the cupboards all bare
and I know, I went looking
under the bed,
in all my usual places,
looking to see
if I’d forgotten
any of it;
my stash,
all used up,
and even the dealer on the street corner was gone
where he peddled you
for a dollar a pound
nearly giving you away
nothing but a red light district now
deserted
where he left me
with the sweats
and with the shakes
but before he did
he called me a junkie
said it to my face
told me, I needed to clean up
told me, he wasn’t gonna sell
anymore of
you no more
had somethin’ new
he was gonna peddle
on the other side of town
and so, I’m takin’ a walk
along this dirty old highway,
this forlorn road,
my new friend to keep me company:
this occasional
nervous twitch,
hopin’ that whatever he’s sellin’
on the other side of town
is gonna be able to deliver
what he’s promised,
that it’s gonna  
be able to take me down -
inch
by inch
by inch

Reviews

[Jim Parson]

The more I read of you, the more I find myself wanting. This was really very powerful. It worked well for my daily Jennifer fix.

[.]

LOL...It all seems so simple in the beginning...love the use of metaphors..

[Kerry O'Connor]

An excellent take on addiction which can be read on many levels - the personification of the substance, drives home how much of a necessity it is, but allows one to wonder, whether it could be a lover who has left the speaker longing for the passionate fixes now denied. Great work.

[OT]

brilliantly written! this prompt has inspired some great writes!! every entry I've seen has been incredible, this being no exception, you paint such a vivid scene, great poem!!

[Crowley]

Great stroll down s**t street....too many friends and family members to count really. I wrote for this prompt too, seems like a fun group. How is it when we know from age 7 anymore that this is what happens, but so many still get lost. Great and thought provoking for sure.

[Robin]

a dark walk down the mean streets of addiction , great writing Jennifer

[MuSe Ampoule]

Brilliant piece here JL! The reader can feel the visceral pain of with drawl from your words.

Absolutely right in your Author's Note...always good to have a reminder to let the bad things go!

[Nobody.]

amazing expression...I know this feeling to well....felt like a fresh wound itching and burning for salve. wonderfully written. poetic pain.

cheers!

[bluessadmood]

i know the feelings all too well..
its so hollow ,empty ,like in a deepest pit down..nothing felt ,no pain not whatever
no more bad dreams i just woke up afraid and all shaky all inside out
i wont sell any more i looked every place ,nothing just the shakes again
and i looked for the man to appease and calm ,but he was selling some other place
i got the shakes..i got to clean so he said..was not good enough now
that was so strong ,really impressive words..its a pity how a life turn out i think because of someone
shrly will always means nothing,the world full of them..like a crushing machine
but i got my words i shape them beautifully ,no one can match
i got strength ,deep rooted no one will know wherever it came to be
i really loved this one ..very creative ..underneath i feel strength like never felt before
it will pull you up again ,and strong like never before,again
lovely write..

[Peter Joseph Swanson]

Powerful!