Creativity, Poetry, Recovery From Alcoholism And Addiction

As the rush of the holidays grows smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror, I’d like to take this opportunity to focus on our clients this month. St. Anthony Foundation sees people from all walks of life come through out doors, and this is no less true at the Father Alfred Center (St. Anthony’s Recovery Center for Chemical dependency). Our residence come from a wide variety of backgrounds, occupations, creeds and communities. They also come with a diversity of talents. Some like to sing, some play guitar or draw pictures, and others like to write poetry.

One of our current residents has found that his love of writing has been a key component to his recovery.

“Poetry reaffirms my connection with God, I see it as a talent and a gift. Writing helps me reconnect to the person I was before my addiction. Back then I was humble, polite and creative. In addiction I was the exact opposite, always focused on getting more drugs, manipulative, and greedy. Getting back in touch with my creative side not only helps me to reaffirm the person I am, but it’s also relaxing and helps build self esteem”

Here’s a poem he wrote about his son.

He has skin the color of sand in the Sahara desert
A light caramel hue, that rises and curves around flawless bone structure,
Bright highlights of yellow and taupe
Taughtly hug bulbous cheekbones and a high Ethiopian sloped forehead
Shadows from his square jaw bones
Stretch a canvas of silk alternating with colors from burnt sienna to cocoa brown
Across his thin long neck
His lips are small wedges of ripe plums
Pale pink and purple ridges of pulp that drip sweet words and sugary laughter
That stick to and stain your heart with joy
His teeth are the white picket fence surrounding the home of his voice
Straight with small gaps between them,
Freshly painted white enamel blocks
Absorbed and securely fastened by healthy pink gums
His mouth an oral pack of Bubblelicious Bubble Gum
The soft supple skin of his cherub cheeks is velvety smooth and glistens like
Butter on a hot summer’s day,
One touch and you would mar perfection
His eyes are a divine shade of brown that are reminiscent of nutmeg mixed with
Dark Chocolate, with flecks of gold and copper lighting the brown expanse of his iris
Like stars illuminate dark matter
His eye brows are midnight black in contrast to the facial palette of earth tones
Stretching across his ocular region like a suspension bridge
Connecting vision and perception,
Like two strong black arms reaching out to cradle his view of the world
These two dark follicle lightning bolts stream boldly across a countenance
Brewing with emotions like a pre tornado sky
His hair is thick and dense like a rain forest jungle
Yet edged and neatly manicured like the edges of a mansion’s lawn