Simply Free
Simple Poems, Simple Truths of a Simple Life
by
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Prison of Addiction
Rage rips inside my boiling being
Wretched yearns tear my resolve
What prison bars are these?
No metal, no cold, no rigid sight
My mind strains to quell the quake
Reach out to emptiness, claw and snatch, nothingness
Its emptiness that I bring back, but reach I do
Hold my blinding ravenousness pains
Addictions tears at walls of my heart
What pardon lies ahead for me
Oh God, Oh God, come help me now
Free me from this living hell
Why me, what wish did I tend and get
Treading in this pool of guilt
I reach for a glimpse of shore to gain
But alas this penance is for me to test
Each day anew, fight on within
Tear my soul, thrust pain to friends
I am alone, my freedom wains
Compulsion is my only vet
Calmness lies in the taste of evils cup
I cannot shake this tightening grip
I must sleep, it’s the only rest, take me please
My God, My Lord, I trust you’ll forgive my weakness
I pray for the piercing pains to soften
One day at a time, one step unsure
I will make the gates of peace open
Receive the sinner, absolved and unsoiled
But first the days quest is still at hand, fight on, fight on
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About the Book
When Michael Hogan started writing, he never set out to pen a poetry collection. He simply told stories of his dad and, over time, the stories became confessionals in rhyme. Watching someone suffer through the terrible disease of alcoholism taught Michael many life lessons—ones he never wanted to learn. The only way to exorcise those old demons was to write.
Simply Free is a collection of words that ring true to any child, spouse, or family member of an addict. In “Something’s Wrong, Dad,” he gives voice to a child’s fear.
Who are you, Dad? You change too much
Like when you drink, is that your crutch?
What’s in the bottle you crave so dearly?
It doesn’t help me see you clearly
I pray, I pray for things to turn
Steady my mind from the churn
Only my dad controls the change
Please, Dad, don’t be so strange.
Dedicated to his dad, Simply Free flowed much easier than Michael originally expected. He believed sharing his thoughts and feelings would be unsettling—instead, the poems set him free. Through words happy and sad, read of hope postaddiction and the love of a child for his father.
About the Author
MICHAEL G. HOGAN is a Lean Process Improvement and Facility Designer in healthcare. For work, he has spent time overseas and in many healthcare facilities. He has a degree in industrial psychology and is certified in the Myers-Briggs personality indicator. Michael Hogan is a graduate of the University of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois.