Poetry By Brittany Jividen

Larry Syverson CC




Dead End

As I go through withdrawal, my skin crawls, making me want to peel paint off the walls.
Poison in my veins is my vice, but at what cost - My life?
Day after day addiction roared its ugly head,
and called for me in hopes I’d cave in.
Addiction is a monster posing as a friend.
One who makes you all alone, in the end.
The highs and lows of life once controlled me,
and the substances consoled me.
As I swallowed the pills and inhaled the poison,
I ran wild, untamed, and almost destroyed us.
I ran full force into the chaos.
I once believed no one could save us,
US, addicts, where in the chaos we once let go
and became the monsters you didn’t know.
But, you never gave up on me and it goes to show,
I battled that monster until it was no longer a foe.
Then I turned my battle wounds into lessens,
and prayed for forgiveness for my transgressions,
Putting one foot in front of the other and taking it a day at a time,
My life changed before my eyes.
I started to recognize my reflection, and remembered “Progress not perfection.”
Then I refused to let addiction win and promised my loved ones I won’t travel that road again.
It's a dead end.
From now on, I take a different route.
I say goodbye to my addiction, I’m bowing out.
It's time to start living.



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Brittany Jividen is a Florida native who has been writing poetry for years. Brittany writes about the spaces where darkness and hope meet. She believes in drawing from the raw vulnerability, honesty, and hope from her personal experiences to allow her poetry to form a strength for any reader. Brittany is inspired by recovery, pain, resilience, and the human spirit. Furthermore, she believes that her poetry can help people feel seen, understood, and less alone.
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