Love Poem: Strung Out
James Lewis Avatar
Written by: James Lewis

Strung Out

I'm passed in an 
alley but the feeling 
doesn't hurt, I feel 
some kind of way 
because my shoes 
don't match my 
shirt,

the tracks descend 
my arm to form a 
highway made of 
veins, I'd sell my 
soul for one more 
hit of you, addictive 
dame.

My clothing bears 
the stains of where 
I've shot you up for 
months, I'm not 
ashamed to say 
that you're the only 
thing I want,

or need in life for 
breathin right, I 
don't know what to 
do, 'cept tell the 
honest truth which 
is I'm strung out 
over you.

You hit my blood 
like nitrous ox, I feel 
it in my toes, it 
happens every time 
I go and sniff you up 
my nose,

or shoot you in my 
arm or neck, 
wherever needles 
plunge, that have 
me spittin bubbles 
like The Wire 
Season 1.

I know that I'm an 
addict but what else 
do you expect, the 
distance that I'm 
walking far exceeds 
a dozen steps,

I've stole my 
mama's jewels for 
you and cashed my 
cousin's check, to 
get enough of you 
to last but there 
was nothing left.

You've cast that 
hokus strokus now 
my brain is all 
amiss, I'm just a 
ghetto boy I guess 
my mind is playing 
tricks,

hallucinatin deja vu, 
for you I am a fiend, 
like Bushwick Bill 
punched concrete 
early 90s Halloween.

No need in getting 
clean, I couldn't 
handle the 
withdrawal, for 
methadone there's 
sex alone, I wanna 
get it on,

your cream invades 
my seams and 
seemingly the cost 
is small, the hours 
pass like minutes 
look at me, I've lost 
it all.

It's raining cats and 
dogs outside, this 
weather is a beast, 
I dig amongst the 
garbage just to find 
some food to eat,

but nourishment is 
last upon the list of 
treats I seek, you're 
1st and foremost in 
my mouth of things 
I love to eat.

I'll prob'ly die inside 
this gutter but won't 
stop because, I've 
shot you up so 
much my hands are 
now like boxing 
gloves,

a dirty stinking 
junkie's what I am 
and what I was, 
another word for 
drugs oh yes, I'm 
strung out on your 
love.