My mind is drunk, but my hands seem sober
Convinced that they can pour one more that we
won’t spill
And our lips won’t slur

I saw the disease
Before my brother did
Recognized the messy handwriting, and the
argumentative tone

Closing its grip around our throats
I took the easy way out
Deciding to end the suffering before it got the
best of me

He decided to rescue us all
Before it bested him
But in the end, they both did

B.L. Smith is a recovering addict and alcoholic who had been sober since July 26, 2005. Prior to the death of her brother, she had tried controlled drinking and suffered a relapse. She has now been clean and sober since March 17, 2009. She is a professional writer who is presently working on her first novel. She also writes a column in the Salt Lake Examiner about dogs, and writes about MLB for mikefahmie.com