Poems From The Twelve Step Podium

Poems From The Twelve Step Podium

This one-of-kind book started with my very first poem I wrote, the "My Alcoholism" poem. I awoke one morning in March, 2009, at about 5:00am, with this poem in my head. So as not to forget, I went to the computer room and wrote it down on paper in about 15 minutes. I was not fully awake and proceeded back to bed. After morning breakfast and coffee, I took my daughter, Hannah, to school for the day. I came back home and put this poem into the computer, 99% pure from the first format. I proceeded in the months that followed to have many more inspirations from my "Higher Power" This book is the result of me following direction and using "His Will" In spite of my lack of talent and no experience, this book was completed, and I do believe it is a miracle. "He" provided me with 24 poems, to equal the 12 steps and 12 traditions of our program. I don't believe this to be a coincidence, and in reading this book I hope you will agree. As in our pre-amble primary purpose, I am staying sober today while doing this project, and I hope to help another member to achieve their sobriety. I wish all of you to enjoy this gift from our "Higher Power" Poems From The Twelve Step Podium Recovery/Self-Help By Garry Sanders AuthorHouse Copyright © 2010 Garry Sanders All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4490-5244-7 Contents Promise to my Readers.....................viiImage Recognition.........................xiMy Alcoholism.............................3Three Dotted Lines........................5Obsession.................................7Wrecked Train.............................9Keys to the Door..........................11The Survivor..............................13Drag Me to Hell...........................15Devil's Band..............................17The Beast.................................19My Big Brother............................21Angel Face................................23Dysfunction...............................25Letting Go................................27Fun and Game..............................29Denial....................................31Devil's Big Hitch.........................33My Dad....................................35Sins of My Father.........................37Shari and Bree............................39My Wife...................................41Faith, Hope, and Love.....................43The Relapse...............................45My Mom....................................47Serenity..................................49 Chapter One My Alcoholism Covered by this thick blanket they call a disease Running from everything, I was never at ease Spiritually bankrupt, I never gave myself a chance Running to the devil daily, just to do his next dance Bits and pieces of my misery that I still do not recall Sitting on barstools of emptiness waiting for last call Waiting for something to pull me from the pit of hell Sick and tired of everything, the walls I couldn't scale Hiding in a cloud of darkness you could not see above I began to miss my inner child and all of its open love Checking into hospitals and rehabs, the list was long Seeing doctors and therapists with the same old song One night of surrender to God, we decided no more The next day I started my journey to settle the score Instead of fighting with everything and going to hell I must listen for the wind of God and adjust my sail He brought me back to the rooms where I feel content Yet another chance at the good life that I've been sent Getting rid of all this pain they call guilt and remorse God gives me the courage to stay this tough course For whatever it takes I'm blessed with a real deal From my daughter's heart never again will I steal Three Dotted Lines A contract with the devil, signing three dotted lines Staying far away from God and avoiding his signs Mired in a disease that made my heart full of sin Never giving my spiritual malady a chance to win Running against the wind, I thought I was a rebel In the scheme of life found out I was only a pebble Occupied with self, wasting the precious moments Always waiting for a day to make my atonements Feeling out of place like a tree without any leaves Everything I stood for taken by the devil's thieves In a river of despair, I tried so hard to stay afloat Just an empty book waiting for lines I never wrote Like cool water evaporating on hot summer days All this pain and suffering I hoped was just a phase Now I've been in recovery for a year and one half Seeing signs of progress, I'm beginning to laugh Can I succeed this program? Only time will tell Knowledge without willingness, I surely will fail Obsession By the numbers you count As though keeping score Tears of bitter taste In search of much more ... Failures and heartaches Play inside your head The numbers you count Weave a common thread ... Your armor of balance Will be in the way Of living completely Each God-given day ... You must slow down And let your heart feel Instead of your head Deciding the deal ... The path