THE STORY
Takes plug
out of jug
--no mug
for this ole man
with shaking hand
His illness
will not go 'way.
Neither abates
that which liquor
no longer sates
There he sits,
man with no hat
nor hair--
no chair
Nice curb, though!
God is Good:
provider of
fireplug to
lay his head.
“Coming lots of snow,”
weather-man had said.
Near-empty jug
without plug
held in shaky hand of
dear sick old bald man
needs no mug
What's that sound
coming from round
near corner...
through fogginess
of storming snow?
Stentorian--like running
thousands pairs of
cleated feet.
...as the feet beat
another old cold man
driving snowplow
wishes for summer again
and his hot haymow.
BUMP—BUMP!
Grind, grinding
sound. THUMP!
“Good grief!”, he said.
“The snow, the snow!
She's coloring all red!”
Not hot haymow
'neath huge snowplow.
It's that man
with shaking hand,
a corker with a
corkless bottle
No hat
no hair
no stool
no chair
no breathing
there..........
--steveroni
Fifty years after I still see clearly everything as pictured above. It happened in early morning...3 AM.
I'm sorry, old man. I was a shivering, shaking drunk like you, except younger. I feared being locked up if I called police or ambulance. Snowplow operator didn't even know he had killed you, old man.
A “death-by-snowplow” was mentioned the next day in the Enquirer,
page 4 of the newspaper's “Police Beat”.....
Image from DeviantArt
snowplow by twelve41-d2xvfpd2
snowplow by twelve41-d2xvfpd2
The only problem with your lessons is that they are not read by those who need it most. They are out cold, outh there or just out.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a trauma nurse, I worked all the holidays to give those with children, a chance to celebrate the holidays with the family. I will never forget the smell of blood, vomit and alcohol mixed together as soon as I stepped into the trauma room at 6:45 AM. Such sadness during the holiday season. Innocent lives taken away by alcohol.
This is a good poem Steve. I think they resonate because they are heartfelt.
This is so awesome ,Steve :).I love it so much.
ReplyDeletedang man...shivers at the thought of carrying that around all these years...a sad tale compounded more over by the alcohol in him and you...glad you have walked out of that man...
ReplyDeleteThere are so many steps and missteps that bring us to where we currently are in our lives. I believe God can and does work miracles with the tragedies we imperfect humans create. Blessings to you now and always, Steve.
ReplyDeletea tough road to be on. Addiction of any form.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those intense sad stories that you keep in your archives... and that I had never happened to know about.
ReplyDeleteLife is futile, disperse at times- others hold tightly to it- others hold tightly but through the worst it gives...
Thanks for your comments. Thanks for the grace of God, your stories are my yets.
ReplyDeletegrossly sad
ReplyDeleteIt's heartbreaking how many die of addictions, whether their own or someone else's. Powerful piece, my friend.
ReplyDeletesad, powerful words.
ReplyDeletewe all are influenced by some kind of addictions.
bless you.
thanks for the visit to my place.
You left TWO comments today and I was blown away by them. Now I have read this, and I'm REALLY blown away. Through your 12th-step work, you undoubtedly have made amends to that gentleman tenfold, at least. God bless you, Steve.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, Steve, there is plenty of love but they don't do a lot of good unless one acts upon it. :) For example, a single mother can say she loves her children, but won't find a job so her kids can eat; instead they go on welfare for what seems like eternity.
ReplyDeleteSo sad... Steve. If it weren't that you were rescued by God your Redeemer... you could have easily ended that way too.
ReplyDeleteAmazing way you put this story into poetry...
Thanks for dropping by my blog today!
Happy Thanksgiving month...
Now, onward to Christmas.
Blessings
Lidia
But now you do extend your hand to another through God's grace. That is something that is truly a miracle. Thanks for your comments, Steve. Much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the most heart-wrenching poems/stories I have ever read.
ReplyDeleteDear Steve, you have carried this for so many years. I have something of this burden, too. Life is never without lessons, though how they come about can be traumatic and shocking...knocking our younger psyches for a nasty spin.
Powerful poem, dear man.
Bless you, dear man, dear friend. You are one of life's miracles to me...and to many others I am sure.
Love,
Lady Nyo
Oh my.
ReplyDeleteI'm here catching up on all that I've missed, and this one just grips me. What a thing to witness. I've heard of this happening to pets who get just a little to curious, but never to a man. Poor guy.