hungry at 6 AM
used to mean still drunk,
desperately seeking absorption
used to mean I’d overeaten
the day before
now it just means
I’m on time for breakfast
now it means I’m in a
routine
by which I mean I do this regularly
and take some comfort from it
I am astonished at the peace
in my once happily chaotic self
that routine creates but
before you of long order and gentle lives
gloat entirely about my assimilation into your ranks
understand that part of the routine
involves opening a finger
drawing my blood onto a strip
and staring at the subsequent appearance of a number
which tells me if my routine is saving me
and the only reason I follow it
and take joy from it
is the hope that on any given day
the routine will have cleared
enough death from me
that I can take a moment
of glorious disorder from it
and be my old self again
Dark Matter 
August 24th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
I, like angelward13, tend to take your poems as personal. I shall try to avoid that. But I can relate to a life of chaos from the simple fact of being somewhat harum scarum by nature, but in later years finding order and stability not only important, but actually freeing and comforting.
August 24th, 2015 at 9:04 am
I love this poem.
August 24th, 2015 at 9:05 am
Thank you very much. 😉
August 24th, 2015 at 9:01 am
I’ll try to keep that in mind. Thanks.
August 24th, 2015 at 8:27 am
I see you care enough about yourself to start a new routine to keep your blood pressure clear but towards the end when you speak on going back to your old self I don’t understand. I hope you don’t mean the drunken careless man. That couldn’t be what you meant. Maybe the strong willed and determined man you are is good enough. Stay happy, keep your routines if they bring you joy
August 24th, 2015 at 8:32 am
Thanks for your concern. Couple of thoughts:
1. Not every poem is written as a confession by the poet. Sometimes, they’re written in another’s voice or from another person’s perspective. It’s not a good idea to assume that you are hearing the poet’s personal thoughts. I write in persona all the time, in fact.
2. In this case, however, it is written from my perspective. And it’s not blood pressure, but blood glucose — I have type 2 diabetes, well controlled with just diet and exercise — I don’t even take medications for it, and I’ve been living with it for two years now.
3. I was just really thinking of having, you know, a bagel.
T
August 24th, 2015 at 8:51 am
Haha your funny. Your a good writer and comedian. As far as my assumptions I had no intentions on offending you. I’m sorry if I did. Usually I don’t make assumptions I just felt that you were writing about yourself in this poem particularly. I too write poetry from other perspectives sometimes.
And well I say if you want a bagel have at it if it ain’t gonna hurt you