Viral Vacation

Anyone that follows my IG page and those who have run across this blog, may have noticed that I all but disappeared during the previous three or four months. While I welcome occasional periods of solitude, the prolonged isolation and seemingly increased and endless atrocities being committed worldwide, drove me mad and directly back into the arms of my deadliest of vices. Without damning myself to public ridicule, I can divulge only the vaguest of information. Under normal circumstances, when the world isn’t collapsing on itself, drugs and alcohol are an idle pastime, at worst; at best, a tool for inspiration and creativity. Yet every man, no matter his constitution, has his limits. The pandemic drove me mad, which is within my comfort zone, but the dozens of other vulgar acts of barbarism ushered me to a thin (white) line, which I crossed. There were fights, cops, medics, a couple trips to the hospital, an out-patient detox, and a self-monitored detox 9,000 feet about sea level in the middle of nowhere that finally took hold. On an average day, I’m confident death is not something I am afraid of, but having met it head on recently, I was forced to reevaluate my ego-driven bravado. I’m glad to be healthy and well after such unrelenting self-destruction. Clear-minded, sharp, and back in my element. Pleased to be rattling off stacks of gritty and abrasive poetry for (hopefully) years to come. Thanks for reading. See you soon. -btr