Surrounded by a plague
you surrendered your vices
one by one
Gave up cigarettes and sugar
Supposed to let go of coffee and soda
Eventually, swearing and sanity went out the window too
The only addictions
that never left
were Jesus and anger
The sage of rage
is the righteous christ's
right hand man...or in this case, woman
How else were you gonna put
the fear of god
into your drunk husband
and protect your children
without a praise the lord chokehold
and a hallelujah backhand
You fed me rootbeer candy
under the table
I would disappear into your hugs
when I was tiny
You lost your teeth before I came
so I never felt your bite
Before I lived a dozen years
you made it very clear
If I didnt drink the saviors juice
I would be welcomed
into the handbasket
and you would not wave goodbye
I never told you
who I was
but I loved to make you laugh
To visit was to bare the burden
and learn the lesson
of bittersweet
I made it my mission
to give you permission
to cease the wringing of fingers
Serve up some merciful laughter
along with the illusion
of who you thought me to be