Poetry By Mary Donnelly

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THE SILVER COIN

Ray told me to sit in a more comfortable chair.
I didn’t know why the metal one wasn’t good enough,
good enough for my failed self.

There were other people there too, for the same reason.
Ray led the group to talk about our messed up lives
and what we could do to stop drinking.

As far as I could see, then,
    Nothing.

“No, Mary, sit here.  You deserve a comfortable chair.”
Tall Ray, with his thick white hair, kind,  lined face,
looking like my grandfather Doran,
my grandfather who loved me,  and once
found a silver coin hiding behind my ear.
And so I listened.




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Mary Donnelly is a retired substance abuse counselor, teacher, sheep farmer, mother and grandmother and lives with a wonderful spouse.  None of these would be true if she hadn’t stopped alcohol and drug use and gotten powerful help a few decades ago.