Each April since 1987, the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence, Inc. has sponsored Alcohol Awareness Month to \u201cincrease public awareness and understanding, reduce stigma, and encourage local communities to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues.\u201d<\/p>\n
Denial of being an alcoholic is commonplace. The alcoholic will deny it for years. Families will deny that other family members are alcoholic or have serious drinking-related problems. Many times the alcoholic will have friends or family members who enable them. An enabler, or codependent, is someone who helps a person with substance abuse issues continue to use drugs and\/or alcohol. I come from three generations of alcohol abusers. My grandfather, father, myself, and my siblings have suffered from and continue to suffer from alcohol problems.<\/p>\n
These three poems on drinking are my way of communicating about alcohol awareness.<\/p>\n
Turning a Page on Alcohol
\n(First published in the Saipan Tribune on Oct. 21, 2022)<\/p>\n
The first time you got drunk what was your age
\nIf you looked at yourself what was your image
\nWere you with your friends at a teenage stage
\nIs that when you began regular alcohol usage
\nDid you grow older drinking more and more
\nAlways having some more booze in storage
\nAlways driving to the cheapest liquor store
\nWith a few cases of beer still in your garage
\nYou got a beer belly now, a tiger in your tank
\nVomiting and blacking out every now and then
\nWaking up with a headache your mind a blank
\nNot a sober day since you can\u2019t remember when
\nHave you had enough booze at your present age
\nThinking about saying no and turning the page.<\/p>\n
Drank Drunk Drinking Rap (04\/12\/2023)<\/p>\n
Here are the last four lines of a haunting, beautiful Irish ballad called Carrickfergus. The song, which has been recorded many times, was my inspiration for the following sonnet rap:
\n\u201cI\u2019m drunk today and I\u2019m rarely sober
\nA handsome rover from town to town.
\nOh but I am sick now and my days are numbered
\nCome all ye young men and lay me down.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drank too much \u2013 Don\u2019t know why
\nIt wasn\u2019t a chore \u2013 Easily done
\nLost my touch \u2013 With reality
\nWill drink no more \u2013 Not much fun<\/p>\n
Drunk again the next day \u2013 What can I say
\nFor no reason but fun \u2013 With friends galore
\nThe buzz went away \u2013 What cost did I pay
\nBefore I was done \u2013 Boozed up for sure<\/p>\n
Drinking all day long \u2013 On into the night
\nWhat is that all about \u2013 Just can\u2019t seem to stop
\nSinging some old song \u2013 Can\u2019t get words right
\nRemember blacking out \u2013 Puking no doubt<\/p>\n
I\u2019m drunk drank too much \u2013 Its nothing new
\nDrinking heavy losing touch \u2013 More often and you?<\/p>\n
The Old Sot and The Old Sod
\n(an Irish American reverie)<\/p>\n
If I should pass out think but this of me
\nthat there\u2019s a small corner of this old pub
\nthat is forever Ireland and will surely be
\na place you can eat some decent pub grub
\noutside is Ireland the sot dreams aware
\nhe\u2019s back there in his drunken present state
\ntasting Irish cheese and eating Irish fare
\nbeer washes down a corned beef cabbage plate
\nhe\u2019ll have one more pint drink it right away
\na drop now of Tullamore Dew no less
\ntakes him back his thought by Ireland given
\nearphones sing harps and elbow pipes today
\nhis heart at peace now in Irish heaven.<\/p>\n
(Revised. Original was first published in the Saipan Tribune on March 16, 2018.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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