Right on, man. Such an inspiring write! Addiction is very much like a ghost, haunting each moment of our lives. I am so happy you were able to push through and maintain. If you ever had any doubt, this poem is proof, that you absolutely do not need alcohol to conjure beauty and meaning on the page.

The last two lines in the third octet scream truth in my mind. Very, very wise.

Clay

Stay true to yourself and keep on pushing forward. Rock on dude!! Great piece of poetry

I love the honesty in this. What a purge of the soul amigo!
This has so much in it. It had its own evolution.
Just terrific!

That’s poetry for ya folks .. Bloomin brill my friend .. Neville 😎👍

“My pen became a sword
poetry served as pseudo armor”

Amazing how many of us are among this army. Accepting help is so hard. Especially if you’ve rarely been offered a hand. And we’re all kinda programmed to ‘suck it up’…like being human is a weakness. Stripped raw & flushing the wounds here, brutal honesty at its finest, my friend

This poem is raw, honest, and deeply moving. Knowing you wrote it just months into your sobriety makes it even more powerful –your pen becomes both sword and shield, guiding you from darkness to hope. A beautiful testament to resilience and the strength of new beginnings.

“Observation is an art form that must be mastered.” I love the contempt you pour on the system, from the “Marshmallow figures” bowing to a “corporate bastard,” to the reality of censored voices. The final, detached image of “Strumming an old guitar while watching humans play” is the perfect, chilling exit from the chaos. Brilliant and perceptive.

I read this in a minor key….
Great work.

Art is an art. It takes a good eye and connection to emotions. But some treat it as a product. Like Lionel Richie said ‘there are creative artists and created artists’.

Great ink friend

Preach it, in rhymes! Well delivered in a poetic voice that stays to the front of our brains. awesome words Damian.

I hear you on this one, Damian. Nice work.

Brilliant imagery. Excellent.

The games people play are often cruel and thoughtless, and more often they don’t even give their own opinion. Like marionettes, they do and repeat what others tell them. We all should begin to be more authentic and have meaningful and responsible conversations for the sake of all persons involved.
A brilliant socially critical poem, dear Damian!

Well thought out and well executed. Marvelous write Damian.

I think most poets, indeed most writers in general are people watchers at heart .. You just nailed us with this one sir .,. Write on brother .. Neville 😎👍

Please tell me this one might have a place on the album. This is what’s called a hole in one! Makes me think about how much chaos is visible of what “they’re” doing. It’s like the iceberg. What aren’t we meant to see? That’s the shit that keeps me up nights. Eyes on honesty, as always, my friend

“Plastic people are always asking for motivation” I like the message on this, as if some folks seek validation from others to feed ego. I’ve always thought the initial motivation should be intrinsic so as to have a solid foundation in our true worth. Maybe social media has watered down much of that.
Amazing work.

This is a brilliant and honest look at the collaborative process. You perfectly capture the tension and the beauty of it. The line “Turning glass back into sand” is an amazing image for the way things come together.

Collaborations are a dance in a way. Got to read your partner. It’s tricky to get magic but when it works it’s beautiful.

Great ink friend.

I remember you from the ember DU days (daze?) but our paths never crossed. You were always so encouraging and supportive of fellow comrades. That is an art in itself. Keep writing fella.

Great and beautifully written reflections, dear Damian! I agree, the collaboration process is an art itself. Different writing styles collide, and if they are harmonic, the result will read like penned with one ink. When the styles are very different, maybe a piece of abstract art will be created. The diversity of possible collaborations makes them beautiful and interesting!

Even Lennon and McCartney couldn’t get along in the end. Collaborations are famous throughout history. But sometimes ideas go in different directions, ego’s overtake, and animosity takes over. It can be sad, very sad when things fall apart.

Friends drift apart. As you mentioned in your last comment. Also we just change. Many things we don’t enjoy or like from when we were kids or teenagers. Keeping a friend or two from your youth though is important. I feel it’s the bridge to a life that was a simpler, more meaningful time. We grow old, but the kid inside never dies. Great write Damian.

I always find collaborating incredibly intimidating. How to find a balance where both voices carry equal weight? Some styles are more dominating & others more gentle. But I’ve seen jarringly different styles woven beautifully in a single piece. I love the glass back to sand metaphor. Deconstructing to its base element. All comes from the same beach, as it were. The places your pen travels, my friend…

I have been asked many times but even though I am occasionally tempted, I have always tended to shy away .. having said that, I have a great deal of admiration for anyone who chooses to go down that particular poetic and or storytelling route & gets something out of it other than enjoyment or a headache .. I imagine that here you have given this particular reader something to think about long after the curtain has been drawn .. Kindest regards to both you n your pen Damian .. Neville

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