September 11th, 2001 at 8:46 a.m. the world changed.
Nine years and five hours and seventy eight minutes later,
9/11 happened again, although the world it impacted small,
The changes were dramatic, shattering; but strangely positive.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:24 p.m. a new life began.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:24 p.m. a new path.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:24 p.m. a foggy haze.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:24 p.m. unforgettable change.
1962 a life that began with such promise and dreams,
Diverted paths at the age of nine; although innocently.
A taste of beer began a lifelong chase…a quest.
A first joint, a first drunk, a first black-out. Euphoria.
A boy’s first love was chemical induced euphoria.
Years past and his lover treated him well; so it seemed.
But there were clues of what was yet to come even at 14.
A lust for learning, a dissatisfaction of how things are.
Feeling out of place, awkward and alone, so old yet so young.
Fights, trouble and danger felt adventurous and natural.
The awkward boy was becoming a troubled man.
A part of yet separated from all who loved him.
Double, triple and quadruple lives, lived in tandem by one.
Brushes with the law, brushes with death, brushes with reality.
Fast cars, insane motorcycles, adrenaline and other men’s women.
Homelessness, yet not feeling homeless. Lonely, yet never alone.
The boy/man was full of emptiness, but always thirsty for more.
Ravenous, afraid and tired; more afraid of living than dying.
10 years, 20 years, 30 plus years of living yet not being alive.
Dead soulless, lost, faithless, paying for suicide on the installment plan.
The chemical lover no longer cared. No longer worked.
Enough was never enough. Hope, happiness and peace moved away.
True love, true friends were pushed away, in favor of morning wine.
Shaky hands and body, dark eyes and unexplained bruises.
No sleep, no rest, no love, no forgiveness and SHE no longer worked.
The lover, the false god, demanded tribute! First his soul, then the liver,
The mind, the confidence, the honor, the truth, the bowels, the nerves.
SHE wanted it all! His life, his heart and soul was hers. He was dead.
The jumping off point was near. The cross roads was here.
Death would have come, but Fate’s intervention in seconds and inches.
A morning of drinking, followed by an afternoon of the same.
Blackout, a waking crash, red and blue lights and handcuffs.
In an instant 39 years of abuse and chasing bliss ended
In a twinkling everything changed, everything was different.
The true enemies were exposed. The victim was self and ego.
All seemed lost and over. But in truth everything just began.
September 11th, 2010, was just another day, until 2:24 p.m.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:24 p.m. was the end of an old life.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:24 p.m. was the trail-head of the new.
September 11th, 2010 at 2:24 p.m. was emancipation.
Doug B.
© 08-25-2015
Serenity Seeker Art 