He’d always been a solid guy,
Great wife and kids, career and friends.
Thus we had scant idea why
Sobriety came to an end.
His forebears had this problem long,
And therein maybe lies a clue,
But we assumed that he was strong
Enough such evil to eschew.
He seemed OK with all just fine,
And only more good days ahead,
But hidden demons can malign,
Drunk, in an ambulance he sped.
At hospital emergency
An angel knew him, called his wife,
Broke every rule there must be
But very likely saved his life.
Released, resolved he to get well,
And lift himself from the abyss.
With so much good on which to dwell
No daily AA meetings missed.
Through love of family most of all,
Accepting what had been his fate,
He, resurrected from the fall,
Found heightened wisdom on his plate.
Antipathy and anger gone,
For negatives he has no space.
To happiness now where he’s drawn,
A better man in that great place.
Mr. Winick recently began writing poetry at nearly age 65, after concluding a long career as an attorney. Langston Hughes and Dorothy Parker are his primary poetic inspirations.