overloaded
with access
to the knowledge
of the Cosmos
in his hand
Harry hasn’t
left his room
all weekend
he hasn’t seen
any friends
or opened
any books
in months
—
he doesn’t know
the children
next door
and never plays
outside
he sits alone
on the floor
in a puddle
of digital
heroin
in the grip
like her brother
in the room
next door
she rarely goes
outside
she spends-her-days
alone
inside
scrolling Tik-Tok
and Instagram
—
she used-to-read
fun books
about Science
and write poems
about butterflies
she now follows
her sister-Molly
as she struggles
with body
dysmorphia
she eats alone
she prefers
to sit alone
inside
all day
with her iPhone
she eats alone
a single plate
with a side
of empty
disordered
consumption
she eats alone
—
she reaches out
to her friend
when she hungers
for support
and positivity
on the phone
they made a promise
to put away
all the pills
they used to pop
to ease the pain
managing pain
she met Molly
last year
upstate
in a rehab
facility
she’s at her best
when she’s helping
other women
feel better
about themselves
—
she too
feels anxious
lonely
depressed
and eats alone
she stays-in-touch
with Molly’s dad
who understands
about the grip
of addiction
living to work
he used to drink
too much
he used to smoke
too many
cigarettes
now he works
too much
on his new
AI startup
in the valley
—
he doesn’t see
his kids
or his wife
unless they call
in desperation
he sits alone
inside
with his phone
while his family
fractures
disconnected
she prepares
delicious food
for her family
every night
but they’re busy
she eats alone
she posts
perfect pics
of her plates
to her profile
on Pinterest
she eats alone
—
she remembers
how it was
before her phone
controlled the rhythm
of her days
she tweets alone
she longs
for a time
when she was less
yet somehow more
connected
—
do you remember how it was before the heroin?
thank you
for supporting
open to change
🙏🏼
if you’re reading
these words
really reading
put your phone down
Wow
The crook on my hill
is a dead zone,
I go there often to be silent
to disconnect the heroin.
Exceptionally powerful words Darren… I send you hope my friend🙏🏽