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Driving Away Addiction
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Extended Metaphors His last accident was serious;
It nearly killed him.
Becoming his excuse for abstinence from this highway
Instead driving on roads paved with overindulgence.
He thought he was being reckless;
But he was just afraid.
She had never driven on this highway.
She could not risk a head-on collision.
Becoming her excuse for self-dependency,
Steering clear of hazardous conditions.
She thought she was being safe;
But she was just afraid.
Together,
They maneuvered the sharp turns and steep hills
All in the name of confronting their inhibitions.
Throwing their cares out car windows
Exceeding the speed limit, and
Disregarding the traffic lights.
He wanted her to help him recover from his past,
Repair the damage that had been done,
Cure the injuries that needed mending,
But she soon discovered,
He was totaled:
Scarred for life.
So instead she stripped away at
His already peeling paint,
Testing his resilience.
But she pierced into him more than she anticipated
Skidding across the thin line between
Unintentional contusions and deliberate fractures
All because she couldn't heal him.
She grasped the steering wheel;
She didn't want to lose control to him.
But they trespassed into dangerous territory,
Impending apprehension.
Once you start gambling with your heart,
It's hard to break the habit.
When she was ready to release her control,
He had already left the scene of the accident.
After all he was tired of being pushed into
Oncoming traffic.
He took the detour back onto that road of
Unfulfilled desires headed for a dead end.
All she can do now is drink in the intoxicating memories.
Her only fear is that no Good Samaritan will pull over
And pick up her mangled remains.
She hopes she remembers to fasten her seat belt
The next time around.
This accident forever altered their perceptions;
At least it was only minor.
Rewrite 2012
His last accident was serious.
It nearly killed him,
becoming his excuse for bypassing this highway;
instead driving on back roads
paved with overindulgence.
He thought he was being reckless,
but he was just afraid.
She had never driven on this highway.
She could not risk a head-on collision;
becoming her excuse for self-dependency,
steering clear of hazardous conditions.
She thought she was being safe,
but she was just afraid.
Together,
they maneuvered the sharp turns and steep hills
all in the name of confronting their inhibitions.
He wanted her to help him
repair the damage that had been done,
but she soon discovered,
she couldn’t help him at all
because he was totaled:
scarred for life.
So instead, she stripped away at
his already peeling paint,
testing his resilience.
But she punctured into him more than anticipated
treading across the thin line
between unintentional dents
and deflated egos
all because she couldn't heal him.
She grasped the steering wheel;
she didn't want to lose control to him.
But they trespassed into dangerous territory,
skidding into disaster.
When she was ready to let go,
he had already left the scene of the accident.
After all, he was tired of being pushed
into oncoming traffic.
He took the detour back onto that road
of unfulfilled desires
headed for a dead end.
All she can do now is get drunk on
the intoxicating memories.
Her only fear is that no Good Samaritan
will pull over
and pick up her mangled remains.
She hopes she remembers to fasten her seat belt
the next time around.
This accident forever altered their courses;
at least it was only minor.
