a poem to tom_32 years

(this is poem to Tom F

a member of the Brooklyn Group

for his 32nd anniversary)

february / 2004

tom would not hear of it!
Just one more martini on the rocks
So on a cold day in February
He left his home, forgetting to put on his socks
The rain, the snow, the cold, the wind
For a drink, nothing bothered him

But then something happened
Not even he can explain
He suddenly had a great amount of scorn
For his good friend, John Barleycorn
Turned to him, with fire in his eyes and sternly said
“I’m sorry, you can’t come along”
and as tom, with courage and determination, walked away
he smiled and whispered to himself, “Goodbye, I’m going to AA”

it was kinda scary, tom was now on his own
but by the time the meeting was over
he realized he didn’t have to do it alone

now tom is a real kind and wise man
but he has needed help along the way
so if he feels he isn’t doing just fine
he just remembers that cold February night
and says “I can do it…..one day at a time”
and 32 years later,
he still smiles as walks out the door
cause tom is going to AA
and John Barleycorn is no more