"Crackhead Alley" - Bahamas AI art
©A. Derek Catalano
The Price of Poison
It starts so small, a whisper in the night,
A taste, a thrill, a spark that feels so right.
But poison courses through your veins so deep,
Awakening a beast that never sleeps.
You lose your compass, morals fade away,
The line between what's right and wrong turns gray.
What once was sacred, now is sold for scraps,
As honour shatters in addiction's trap.
You steal from those you love, without a care,
Your conscience fading, heavy with despair.
The man who once stood proud, now shadows creep,
Robbing innocence and joy you once would keep.
Doors unlocked, you prowl in dead of night,
The need for poison blinds you from the light.
Burglary, theft—your hands are stained with sin,
Each crime a step where darkness pulls you in.
And when the hunger grows beyond control,
You find yourself prepared to pay the toll.
A shot, a blade, perhaps a shattered life,
Killing’s just another part of the strife.
Respect once earned, now lost without a trace,
Your dignity dissolved, your pride erased.
The mirror shows a face you hardly know,
A stranger filled with hollow, empty glow.
Your job, your work, the purpose you once knew,
Crumbles, as the poison owns you too.
No spouse, no family left to take your side,
They’ve fled the storm, no longer there to ride.
The house that sheltered memories so bright,
Now dark and cold, no longer filled with light.
Your car, your dreams, your future slips away,
The price of poison is too high to pay.
Behind cold bars, you lie with shame-filled eyes,
The weight of broken promises, and lies.
You once were free, now chains are all you know,
The overdose awaits its final blow.
Yet listen close, for hope still fights to grow—
It's never too late to turn away from woe.
Admit the demons that have held you tight,
And seek the help to step back to the light.
Though shadows loom, you still can find your way,
The first step’s truth, and then a brighter day.
You'll rise again, rebuild what’s torn apart,
Reclaim your soul, and heal your broken heart.
The road is long, but worth each step, each tear,
For life will welcome you when dark skies are clear.
A taste, a thrill, a spark that feels so right.
But poison courses through your veins so deep,
Awakening a beast that never sleeps.
You lose your compass, morals fade away,
The line between what's right and wrong turns gray.
What once was sacred, now is sold for scraps,
As honour shatters in addiction's trap.
You steal from those you love, without a care,
Your conscience fading, heavy with despair.
The man who once stood proud, now shadows creep,
Robbing innocence and joy you once would keep.
Doors unlocked, you prowl in dead of night,
The need for poison blinds you from the light.
Burglary, theft—your hands are stained with sin,
Each crime a step where darkness pulls you in.
And when the hunger grows beyond control,
You find yourself prepared to pay the toll.
A shot, a blade, perhaps a shattered life,
Killing’s just another part of the strife.
Respect once earned, now lost without a trace,
Your dignity dissolved, your pride erased.
The mirror shows a face you hardly know,
A stranger filled with hollow, empty glow.
Your job, your work, the purpose you once knew,
Crumbles, as the poison owns you too.
No spouse, no family left to take your side,
They’ve fled the storm, no longer there to ride.
The house that sheltered memories so bright,
Now dark and cold, no longer filled with light.
Your car, your dreams, your future slips away,
The price of poison is too high to pay.
Behind cold bars, you lie with shame-filled eyes,
The weight of broken promises, and lies.
You once were free, now chains are all you know,
The overdose awaits its final blow.
Yet listen close, for hope still fights to grow—
It's never too late to turn away from woe.
Admit the demons that have held you tight,
And seek the help to step back to the light.
Though shadows loom, you still can find your way,
The first step’s truth, and then a brighter day.
You'll rise again, rebuild what’s torn apart,
Reclaim your soul, and heal your broken heart.
The road is long, but worth each step, each tear,
For life will welcome you when dark skies are clear.
©A. Derek Catalano/ChatGPT
Related poem: Cocaine Doesn’t End Well