deepundergroundpoetry.com
don't look down, you might find a mirror
You walk around these streets
like you didn't come from nothing
like there's no ghetto left
in your veins
You asked me if I saw the junkie's
with a new born that just moved in
a few doors down
I know who you're talking about
but I didn't look at them
and think "junkie"
when I saw them
And maybe I'm the one who's naive
or maybe I don't look at poverty
and think they must be drug addicts
because you don't need to be poor
to have problems
you just have to be poor with problems
to be kicked when you're down
and don't have the resources
to hide an addiction
or pull yourself free of it
You walk around these streets
like you didn't come from nothing
like there's no ghetto left
in your veins
you own a house now
and a fancy new car
so you must be better
than the maybe drug addicts
in their shit box car
that just moved in
like you're not exactly the same
like there's not drugs in your veins
cause you have money now
like you didn't come from nothing
like there's no ghetto left
in your veins
You asked me if I saw the junkie's
with a new born that just moved in
a few doors down
I know who you're talking about
but I didn't look at them
and think "junkie"
when I saw them
And maybe I'm the one who's naive
or maybe I don't look at poverty
and think they must be drug addicts
because you don't need to be poor
to have problems
you just have to be poor with problems
to be kicked when you're down
and don't have the resources
to hide an addiction
or pull yourself free of it
You walk around these streets
like you didn't come from nothing
like there's no ghetto left
in your veins
you own a house now
and a fancy new car
so you must be better
than the maybe drug addicts
in their shit box car
that just moved in
like you're not exactly the same
like there's not drugs in your veins
cause you have money now
Published 30th Jan 2025
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Yesterday 5:05am
Yesterday 2:38am
My sister met her husband at an NA meeting almost thirty years ago. There was a time when they both had nothing as they were getting clean. They just wanted to do their 90 in 90.
About seven years ago they took my then bf to a meeting. His first. They hadn’t been to a meeting in almost two decades. They’re also very wealthy now. They spent the entire meeting talking about their money and vacations. They also ignored the people they would have came up with. The people they knew when they first met at NA, the people who introduced them to each other. They aren’t addicts anymore, money changed that for them. They’ve moved on. To alcohol. Casual, you know? It’s not drugs, so…..
Now the addicts without money, the people they used to be, have no place in their life.
My family has money.
I despise money
And hypocrisy
I’ll stay poor. At least I know I have a soul.
I’ve said it before. I think we have parallel lives, Indie. I find myself in your writes almost every day.
About seven years ago they took my then bf to a meeting. His first. They hadn’t been to a meeting in almost two decades. They’re also very wealthy now. They spent the entire meeting talking about their money and vacations. They also ignored the people they would have came up with. The people they knew when they first met at NA, the people who introduced them to each other. They aren’t addicts anymore, money changed that for them. They’ve moved on. To alcohol. Casual, you know? It’s not drugs, so…..
Now the addicts without money, the people they used to be, have no place in their life.
My family has money.
I despise money
And hypocrisy
I’ll stay poor. At least I know I have a soul.
I’ve said it before. I think we have parallel lives, Indie. I find myself in your writes almost every day.
Yesterday 5:05am
Thank H, there are definitely many parallels between us.
Something I noticed in AA meetings is that many think alcoholics think they're better than addicts, when it's essentially all the same thing. And I've met a lot of people who talk a big game in meetings but only have time for people that are on the same level as them. Heaven help you if you bust, or are having mental health crisis. I rarely do AA meetings anymore, because I can't stand the fake people.
There are many kinds of rock bottom. And the key to a genuine life is remembering where you came from, even if you don't live in that world anymore.
Something I noticed in AA meetings is that many think alcoholics think they're better than addicts, when it's essentially all the same thing. And I've met a lot of people who talk a big game in meetings but only have time for people that are on the same level as them. Heaven help you if you bust, or are having mental health crisis. I rarely do AA meetings anymore, because I can't stand the fake people.
There are many kinds of rock bottom. And the key to a genuine life is remembering where you came from, even if you don't live in that world anymore.
Yesterday 12:15pm
Amen sister.
I’ve noticed the same between AA and NA. Substances are substances and addiction is addiction.
As many know, my addiction isn’t with substances, but many years ago I was engaged to a man who attended AA meetings regularly. We would listen to cassette tapes (dating myself!) of speaker meetings or speakers at conventions. The motivation was helpful. I’ve been thinking about those tapes a lot lately. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter the addiction. Any attempt to overcome what controls you is a victory. That’s the real work and that’s all that matters, regardless of what you have in life. Wealth doesn’t save you.
Have a fantastic day, Indie.
I’ve noticed the same between AA and NA. Substances are substances and addiction is addiction.
As many know, my addiction isn’t with substances, but many years ago I was engaged to a man who attended AA meetings regularly. We would listen to cassette tapes (dating myself!) of speaker meetings or speakers at conventions. The motivation was helpful. I’ve been thinking about those tapes a lot lately. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter the addiction. Any attempt to overcome what controls you is a victory. That’s the real work and that’s all that matters, regardless of what you have in life. Wealth doesn’t save you.
Have a fantastic day, Indie.
Yesterday 12:30pm
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