"Issues"

It was so fucking miserable
Soaked walking down the street
Then I saw a drenched 'Big Issue' seller
And I was a bit more upbeat.
My life may not be perfect
In fact it's rather crap
But it could be far worse
I couldn't get in a flap.
Touch wood my drinking days are over
And I'm learning to cope
Twelves years a sober alcoholic
At least I've got some hope.
If I'd carried on boozing
I'd be on the street or worse
I certainly would be capable
Of articulating my thoughts in verse.
If I hadn't gone to A.A.
You can take this as read
I wouldn't be sharing poetry
I'd be in the gutter dead.
I'd stopped to buy my Lottery
Dreaming of great wealth
When I've already won top prize
Of sobriety and my health.
That was enough to give me amoment
Time for a second thought
And when I went back out into the wet
His last 'Big Issue' I bought.
In reality I'm not so badly off
That I couldn't afford to buy
Even though I don't believe
In that imaginary 'god'
But for the grace of go I.

Dulwich Poet 8th November 2014

(I wrote this after Saturday night. It was pouring down with rain, & I was getting wet on the way to the monthly 'Platform 1 Poetry' Open Mic. Then I passed a drenched bloke selling the homeless 'Big Issue' magazine. I waved him away, but coming out of the shop I'd popped into, to get my lottery ticket, I bought a copy off of him)