Serenity Stop Over

These Rooms

If you're walking by on a windy day and you hear some laughter in the air You might stop and ask what is going on in that little room back there   You might think to yourself what a happy bunch must be a party of some kind But unbeknownst to the person outside it's a place most will never find.   It's usually a little old room in the back of a church or a unity hall With all kinds of beautiful people inside people named Marty, Candy and Paul   It's a room that's filled with laughter but it has its share of tears We gather there with each other and we conquer all our fears.   The walls have words of wisdom there's coffee and a snack or two The room is filled with experiences that we share with all who are new   It's a room where we celebrate victories over a disease that baffles our mind In this room we share our shortcomings to unlock the shackles that bind   So if you're outside and that windy day and you no longer want to hide Push away those thoughts of worthlessness and walk yourself inside.

Rick Lamp (c) copyright 2010

CONCRETE BLUES

LOOKIN' OUT THE WINDOW OF MY CONCRETE CELL... HARD TO BELIEVE IN HEAVEN WHEN YOU'RE PEEKIN' OUTA HELL. I FEEL LIKE BREAKIN' OUT THE WINDOW, KICKIN' DOWN THE DOOR, BUT I KNOW THE THINGS I DO WOULD ONLY BRING ME BACK FOR MORE. CHANGE GOTTA COME. MAN I'D LIKE A DRINK, I SURE COULD USE A CIGARETTE, HELL, I'D LIKE TO SMOKE A BOWL, BUT I AIN'T FOUND THAT IN HERE YET. IF I COULD WALK AWAY RIGHT NOW, I'D SURELY MOVE MY FEET, BUT MY FEET WOULD JUST AS SURELY MOVE ME DOWN TO TO TOWER STREET. UP AND DOWN THAT STREET I'D WANDER AND I'D ROAM, TILL MY FEET LED ME BACK TO MY CONCRETE HOME. CHANGE GOTTA COME. WELL, YOU KNOW I WANT MY FREEDOM, BUT I'M LOCKED DOWN IN THIS TANK, WITH AN ATTITUDE FROM HELL THAT COMES FROM CRASHIN' OFF OF CRANK. JUST IN OFF A TWO MONTH RUN THAT LEFT ME NEAR INSANE, AND HOPELESSNESS THAT TELLS ME THAT I'LL DO IT ALL AGAIN. CHANGE GOTTA COME. MY LIFE IS CALLING TO ME AND I KNOW IT'S TIME TO GO, TO ANOTHER PLACE, ANOTHER SPACE, A BETTER PLACE I KNOW. GOTTA FIND A WAY TO ESCAPE FROM THIS GRIND, 'CAUSE IF I DON'T GET OUT SOON, I THINK I'LL LOSE MY @#!%*&% MIND. CHANGE GOTTA COME.

by scott reese

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WALK AWAY

Walk away, don't look back, crush your smiles with your act. Kick your shadows they deserve, I can't believe you had the nerve. Keep on thinking you got away, look ahead your greed will pay. Don't worry yet, it's just the start, I'm sure one day I'll get my part. By now you think you realy rate, no one knows about your fate. Keep on trying to work your game, dosn't matter, you'll lose the same. So smile, if you pulled it off, remember, a cold has that cough. It's news to you, I'm sure you'll say, could happen to you, don't dismay. It's okay you thought it must, all you lost, was my TRUST. by carl bohlin ############################################################################################

Journey of Pain

Living the high life on the edge of death, Life ain’t livin’ when it’s breath to breath Pray to live, but hope to die, Last hope gone in the mirrors eye Dancing in the eye of the hurricane, But my eyes see nothing on this journey of pain . Sun after sun, moon after moon, Quit in the morning, drunk by noon Doing deals in the back of the bar, Watch my arm become a trail of scar Promise the promise that I promise before, Till there’s no one around to promise anymore Stumble down the alley in the pouring rain, Alone at last on my journey of pain . When it all began there was nothing to fear, No one ever got hurt by a little bitty beer I smoke a little dope but that’s just clean fun, My life’s my own, I ain’t hurtin’ no one When it all went wrong, I can’t really say, It just decayed from day to day From getting high with friends to no friends at all, Shooting dope in bathroom stalls Flush my pride on down the drain, Can’t afford it on my journey of pain . So confused, so afraid, Can’t stop staring at the razor blade Should I chop some coke or slash my arm, Can’t tell which would do more harm Give in now, or try to resist?, Pray to God or shake my fist? Barely hear the slamming door, Gotta find help, can’t take any more. Fear and hope make war in my brain, The beginning of the end of my journey of pain . Some are women, sometimes a cop, Sometimes our pain motivates us to stop Doesn’t really matter where we found the door, What matters is we don’t use anymore Still kind of shaky, but the worst is past, Don’t know much, but I’m learning fast Lots of times I don’t know what to do, But I’ve got a lot of brothers to help me through I pray this chance won’t be in vain, That I never return to that journey of pain.

The Thursday Men’s Group (with Scott Reese)