I Can
By CM
Sobriety has helped me think clean
Being sober was one of my biggest fears
Crazy but true
Because I would have to deal with the harsh reality of
certain things I didn’t want to see or hear
Time being wasted doing the same thing
year after year
I’m finally on a road to redemption
I chose it not afraid to poise with it,
I can really smile when I look in the mirror
And say I conquered one of my biggest fears
I’m proud to say sobriety helped me see clear
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The poets featured here are currently incarcerated, and many of them are in federal prisons far from home. Your feedback is a valuable source of motivation and connection to the outside community. Post your comments, feedback, and encouragement in the space below the poem. Messages will be passed on directly to the author. Comments may not appear immediately on the site, as our team processes them to mail to the poets.
I liked how real this poem is. I think a lot of people have the same fear of getting clean. It is a big accomplishment to say you got clean and beat addiction and substance use. This poem is very relatable as well. Some of my favorite parts of this poem include the first and last lines. They go together even though they are not the same and I think it brings the whole poem together because of it.
I am so proud of you! Everyday is a battle but even the little baby steps of sobriety is something to be extremely proud of. I’m so glad you were able to accomplish one of your biggest fears. Thank you for sharing such raw situation in your life. So many can relate to this and your accomplishments can possible help another in a similar situation! Keep writing the progress down!
Hello CM,
Congratulations on your sobriety! I really appreciate your story that you share here and I’m glad you’re able to truly smile to yourself in the mirror. Sobriety is a hard accomplishment to come by when one is so reliant on their substance, but you truly were able to accomplish one of the hardest goals in life. Wishing you all the best, and I hope to read more poems from you in the future.
Hello CM, This poem is very inspiring. I want to congratulate you on your sobriety. You’re doing something amazing. I’m proud of your strength and courage! You’re taking back your life one day at a time, and you should be proud of what you’ve achieved. Good luck on this next leg of your journey into clean living. Keep up the good work!
Hi CM,
Your poem does a really good job of conveying all the struggles that addiction brings. I liked that you said “certain things I didn’t want to see or hear
Time being wasted doing the same thing
year after year
I’m finally on a road to redemption” ; because it is important to discuss the feeling of lost time that addiction can bring. It can be difficult to come to terms with all of the events and opportunities you feel you’ve missed out on due to addiction. With this, I have seen from those close to me that one of the most beneficial things you can do in these times is use that as motivation for your future. As a relative of someone who has struggled with addiction for the entirety of my life, I recognise how difficult it is to get out of that mindset of addiction wasting time and being the only option. There is great strength in pushing yourself to come out of this place and I wish you the best.
I love this piece! People don’t talk about how great of an accomplishment becoming sober is, so I really appreciate you bringing it to light. When people think of diseases like cancer or lung disease, they just feel bad for the person struggling with it. However, when it comes to addiction, which is also very much a disease, the conversation changes drastically. Although I don’t know you, I am proud of you. Thank you for sharing your story in this little writing piece of yours. This is by far my favorite poem I have read on this site.
CM,
Thank you for your vulnerability in this poem! I am so proud of you for the road you have walked. Facing fears and overcoming challenges are difficult, but you have done so well. Keep seeing clearly!
Hey CM!
I really love that you are on the road to recovery! I am currently a little over 2 years sober/clean and I am just in a completely different place in my life now. I think clearer, I no longer suffer and I don’t have to run from anyone or anything anymore. If I could give any advice it would be to keep writing and talking about how you feel, and no matter what just keep moving forward!!
Sincerely, CD
Wow, just wow. I got chills from this poem and I can’t even put into words how this poem makes me feel. As someone who comes from a family where multiple people struggle with addiction, these words that you wrote really hit home to me. I know that every day is a battle when it comes to staying sober, I have seen it in the people I love the most. Just know that there is someone out there that is proud of you and someone who appreciates how hard you are working to maintain something that most people don’t even think twice about. You are a warrior, never forget that.
I really enjoyed this poem! I like the literary techniques that you used.
Thank you for sharing your poem. I really enjoyed your poem because I think it’s really hard to overcome substance abuse and finding a healthy way to face your problems. It takes a lot for a person to do that and you should be proud of yourself for overcoming it.
Hi CM<
Thank you for being open and honest about your experience with us. "I can really smile when I look in the mirror / And say I conquered one of my biggest fears," one of my favorite lines, because I can relate to the sense of accomplishment and self-love that comes with overcoming a personal challenge.
Another thing I like is how you emphasize the importance of facing reality, even when it's difficult. The line "Because I would have to deal with the harsh reality of / certain things I didn't want to see or hear" is a good reminder that in order to grow as individuals, we must sometimes confront our fears and problems head-on. Thank you for reminding us.
Hi there! Achieving sobriety is such a feat, and you should be so proud of yourself. While I’ve never had to beat an addiction, I can relate to the fear of having to let something that has been so prominent in your life, go. Sometimes we don’t want to have to deal with the truth of certain matters, because we don’t want to feel the hurt or the pain that might follow, but truly, letting go can lead to an amazing amount of growth. When it comes to any amount of growth, or any addiction, every day is a battle. You have to remember the reasons as to why you are fighting to do so in the first place, and that motivation will be the thing that keeps you going. Not many people in this world are aware of their own strength, but it is clear that you have found yours. I wish all the best for you. Congratulations on your sobriety!
Congratulations on your sobriety. I really appreciate how open you are in your poem. The unknown is scary and It is hard to face reality at sometimes. But it takes a lot of courage to face your fears. Hope you are doing well.
This poem truly blew me away. A road to recovery is a powerful thing, and this poem was really vulnerable. Thank you for sharing!
CM,
I’m so glad that you have experienced that there is nothing to fear within sobriety and that you can see clearer now. I am in recovery myself, it’s so good to be here with you. Stay strong.
I really enjoyed reading this piece. Everyone has to deal with things going on in their own life, and every step, even the small steps are important to acknowledge and should be praised. Thank you for sharing your vulnerability and your story
I like the content of the poem was so personal. Congrats on the accomplshment it takes a lot of courage. I think you should explore writing more as a creative outlet.
CM, this is such a motivational poem, from start to finish, I love how you show your emotions and feelings throughout as it is very tough for some people even to tell their stories to friends nevermind post them to people you don’t know, all I can say is that you are a brave soul, I am hoping you are doing much better and get your redemption over your past times, don’t stop moving forward
To CM- Sobriety is not always an easy topic to talk about, never mind make a poem about but you did just that. So many people use drugs and alcohol as an outlet to forget what’s happening in their reality. Once people use these substances to get away, however, it doesn’t actually go away. Drugs and alcohol make even bigger problems however people get so hooked on the false hope it provides and the escape it gives to people. Sobriety is not an easy thing to do, but it can really help your life go in a positive direction. I’m glad you’re on “the road to redemption,” even though you were so afraid of doing so. I hope sobriety will continue to help you see clearly and feel better about yourself. This is not an easy thing but you’re doing it! Thank you for sharing.
Hello CM,
The vulnerability that is within this poem is beautiful and speaks volumes. The words used all have an impact and were chosen well. My favorite line, and the one I think was done best, was
“And say I conquered one of my biggest fears
I’m proud to say sobriety helped me see clear”, I enjoyed the depth and the play on words.
This is such a powerful poem. I think this is something so many people can relate to and that so many people would be moved and motivated by. It makes me so happy to see those on the road to recovery seeing and feeling the results of their sobriety and hard work. The lines, “Because I would have to deal with the harsh reality of certain things I didn’t want to see or hear” is really powerful and emotional and something that will stick with me moving forward.
“I Can” by CM is a powerful and inspiring poem that celebrates the journey of sobriety and the strength it takes to overcome addiction. The poem reflects on the speaker’s initial fear of sobriety and the realization that it meant confronting harsh realities and facing difficult emotions. The repetition of “year after year” emphasizes the monotony of addiction and the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of self-destructive behavior. However, the speaker also acknowledges their choice to pursue redemption and the pride they feel in overcoming their fears. The final line, “I’m proud to say sobriety helped me see clear,” is a powerful affirmation of the positive impact that sobriety has had on their life. Overall, “I Can” is a moving and uplifting poem that speaks to the power of resilience and the transformative nature of personal growth.
hi,
I love how open you are about your addiction and how hard it was for you to get sober. things seem impossible to overcome sometimes but as soon as you do it, its actually easy. Facing reality is really hard even for me , im glad you mentioned that.
Hi CM, I first want to say congratulations on your sobriety, as I know people who have also struggled with getting clean, and I know that it in no way is an easy task. It takes an incredible amount of resilience and persistence. I admire that you were able to overcome such an obstacle, and you should be extremely proud of yourself!
Hi CM,
I truly loved reading your poem and and want to thank you for being so vulnerable. It’s inspiring to read how you continue to fight and are so honest about your fear. This is an aspect of sobriety that I haven’t really heard enough about, so reading your poem was incredibly informative of your experience. I wish you luck on your journey and you should be so proud of how far you’ve come. Thank you so much for sharing this piece!