Look at That! (A poem about drug abuse/ a Mother's Love)

His body's slumped against the wall
His usual poise? Or careless fall?
His hair is matted, tinged with white
He wonders if it's day or night.

His teeth are yellow, caked in plaque
His lips are cracked, his nails are black
His clothes are grey, ingrained with dirt
Those ''too big trousers'', ''too small shirt''.

His skin is pale, his acne raw
The culprit lies there on the floor
A rusty needle, harbouring dirt
Releasing poison with each squirt.

With body shaking, sleeve undone
He wonders what he has become
His veins collapsed from over use
A yellow acscess proves abuse.

His arm is thin, his bones protrude
His system's crying out for food
He head hangs low, he feels the shame
He only has himself to blame

He did try running, tried to hide
From this injected suicide
Before you turn and walk away
Please take a closer look today.

Beside the syringe, down on the floor
Propped up against the grocer's door
A single tatty birthday card
Now read the words, I know it's hard.

''Congratulations to my son
Today's your day, you're 21''
I placed it there last Friday night
I stroked his face and held him tight.

Those haunted eyes look up and stared
The silent words, ''Help, Mum I'm scared''
To think that I could end his pain
And put his life on track again.

To put an end to endless tears
Eradicate the last two years
Repair the damage, see him clean
Would be my one and only dream.

But I will not deceive myself
Not you, or him, or anyone else
He's now a wilting, dying flower
Controlled, beholding to its power.

The drug that makes me rant and rave
The drug that makes him beg and crave
I turn back time, he's on my knee
I put his bib on, fetch his tea(a meal)

I guide the spoon towards his lips
But now that spoon dissolves his fix
I watch you stare and judge and moan
''Where is your son? Is he at home?''

All safe and sound and drug immune
Or does he play a different tune?''
My boy was bright, he knew the score
He went to college, studied law

A life so full, until that day
He found a different game to play
This drug's not choosy, not select
It just wants in to take effect.

To introduce the high of highs
And fool you with the lie of lies
No child is safe, not black nor white
No time is safe, not day or night.

No place is safe, not here or there
We're all unsafe, we're unaware
So when you next walk past my lad
Remember he's not all that bad.

He's locked inside a sealed tomb
The child I carried in my womb
And I'm his Mum, not even me
Can stop his tragic destiny.

© Ellen Johns