The fire casts its evil glow
And smoke rises to the skies
Stories don’t always show
The truth behind the lies
 
A shadow where a man once stood
Shows him sinking from sane to sick
His heart and mind did all that it could
To keep it from happening so quick
 
The fire soothes, hard to resist
Eerily warm, comforting, and bright
When it’s gone, it will be missed
The light fades away into the night
 
Addictions plant intolerable seeds
And force our lives to pay the toll
It steals from our wants and needs
While tormenting a poor, mortal soul
 
Will the fire ever burn itself out?
Will the smoke ever disappear?
The hope fades into familiar doubt
As the comfort reignites the fear.

A poem | by Jason S. Sullivan, 10-04-19