A poem about my childhood basketball hero succumbing to addiction |
From middle school to high school, every coach put her on a pedestal
She was the best; ranked nationally
The female Michael Jordan
Number one
I nicknamed her “Top Shelf”
Years later, she’s a classic tale of hoop dreams deferred
Unfortunately, she neglected to take her studies seriously
As a kid all she ever knew was a basket and a ball
Senior year, played with a torn meniscus and ACL
She sacrificed her college career for the team to win a state championship
The result, being forced to watch her WNBA dreams fall
Today, she can’t bear her own reflection
She spends her paycheck buying top shelf, attempting to drink the past, present, and future away
Suffocated by depression and anxiety
Uncontrollably cries while cleaning dusty trophies and medals on grandma’s living room shelf
She smokes weed on the regular
When I was twelve, she was my idol
Now, it seems ironic that I wanted to be her
Elders claim the bible says, “The last shall be the first and the first shall be the last.”
If this is true, I guess you should be careful what you pray for
Enjoyed reading Top Shelf? Read, A Step Away. A poem that depicts my personal experience with alcohol addiction and disease. Connect with me on Instagram, Medium, Secret Energy, LinkedIn, GitHub.
Poem originally written in 2003, © 2009 by Astra Rai Daniels ( AKA Sober Coder)
