"Mary Teresa M"

Sometimes
 I grieve for my father and brother who died

 in addiction, their own strong Spirits stolen by the spirits in

 the drink. If I could hold my dying father in my arms now I 

would say, "It's okay. It's okay. It's been a long, hard time,
 hasn't it?"

     I would rock him and I would rock the denial that was kill-

  ing him, the denial that was desperately trying to protect him
from the horrid truth of what had happened to
 his Life,

his Family,
 his Freedom,
  his very Soul.

       I would soften the fear and soften the shame
to break through to his own Strong heart.
     But I cannot. I never could. As it is, I have only Today to soar
    into Freedom, breaking the chains that bind me. I have the Hope
  of Healing the Cross-Generational chains that bind
 my Children.

~From "Irish Spirit",
by Mary Teresa  M.

~Beannaichte'(3-19-12)