~easy Does It~ Poem by Mary Nagy

We walk up to the building
but don't know what to say.
It seems warm and familiar...
the sign just reads ''AA''.

Dad came here to get sober.
He's trying to get clean.
I know I'm only 7
but I know what they mean.

He's been here for awhile now.
I've missed him very much.
He couldn't even call us.
''Not Allowed'' to keep in touch.

''Thirty days is nothing! ''
she says into her drink.
''He needs some time away from you! ''
''Some time so he can think.''

When he comes home it's her turn.
He says ''I know she can.''
I'm scared to meet this stranger...
my dad is... not this man.

Now he wants our room clean.
He wants to cook a meal.
I'm not sure what to think of this.
I'm not sure what to feel.

In thirty days she then comes home
to a brand new clean up crew.
We're nervous how she'll treat us...
we don't know what she'll do.

Given a months sobriety
they're at eachothers throats.
There's no more happy dinners.
No more inspiring notes.

They fall off that old wagon
like they've both done before.
Get ready for survival
cause we are bound for war.

The cycle never ended.
They never kept it clean.
They mimicked ''Easy Does It''.
Yet ''easy'' was never seen.