Addiction

Victims consciously detest being dominated by vampirism but are unable to relinquish the practice, similar to addiction to drugs.
Abraham Van Helsing, Horror of Dracula, 1958

You asked me to write not necessarily about you,
but since I care about you,
You are who I write about-

You are an addict, and so am I-
You're addicted to the needle
And I'm addicted to what you do for me-

You do what you do to get money
For the needle, and I see you
For what you do for me-

You ask me about God's forgiveness-
I tell you that the God I believe in
Loves you like I love my children.

My children might upset me, I say,
But I will never stop loving them
And God feels that way about us-

So will God forgive us, you ask,
Would I forgive my children, I say?
I respond-The answer is Yes.

You believe because of what you do
For the needle, God will never forgive you-
I tell you a story-

In this story, Jesus is confronted
By men who want to stone this woman,
These men who have slept with for years-

Jesus says, If you don't have any sin,
Stone her. Each man drops their stone,
And goes home.

Jesus asks the woman,
Is there anyone left to condemn you?
She says, No.

Jesus says, Neither do I.
Now go home, but sin no more-
What is Jesus saying?

You say to me, You tell me-
I say, God loves us, and wants us to stop
Hurting ourselves, but He still loves us-

You squeeze my hand.
I drop you off where you live. You say,
I had a good time. I say, So did I.

Jean Jones has an MFA in Creative Writing Poetry from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. He teaches English as a Second Language part–time at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington, and is regularly published by Horror Zine and Aphelion Webzine.

Find more by Jean Jones in the Author Index.