The man in the mirror

The man in the mirror by Jay Thomson
 
As i look into the mirror
a thousand stories told,
from the colourful life i've had
when born i broke the mould.
Born into addiction
a mum strung out on drugs,
left in junkies paradise  
exposed to this dark world.
Problem child at school i was  
tantrums with my mum,
my absent father wasn't there
to teach me right from wrong.
my teenage years i was lost
out into the world,
rebelling against high school
a manufactured storm.
Expelled from every school i went
never fitting in,
so much anger so much rage
blowing in the wind.
I ran away many times
from home i often dared,
pushed my mum to breaking point,
passed me onto social care.
Manipulating childrens homes
panels every month,
fourteen years old they lock me up
behaviour to confront.
I turned to drugs to escape
mediocre life,
it helped me block out so much pain
trauma stress and strife.
A needle hanging out my arm
sixteen years of age,
slouched and gouched
clean off my face
it's just another day.
I turned to crime to find my fix
rattled like a toy
severe withdrawls
feeling sick
drained of all my joy.
A prison cell my second home
dependent on the system,
methadone plus free meals
is what my day consists of.
I reach the end of my teather
decide enoughs enough,
check myself into rehab
to rid me of this curse.
it took me three times to succeed
to make the penny drop,
gaining weight and looking healthy
refuse to quit or stop.
it's been six years
i've not looked back
propelled into the future,
satisfaction of hard work
recovery my new teacher.
I took a chance and moved abroad
to work it with a girl,
it turns out we are maried now
she is my shiny pearl.
I'm lucky to still be here
to draw a breath of life,
i count my blessings every day
try hard with all my might.
To not look back and dwell on things
to not caress my scars,
reshuffle my deck from the pack
pull out my lucky cards.
I'm grateful for my second chance
another shot at life,
to be the man i truly am
shine bright with my new wife.