Dont Take The First

Long nights by the hazy fire
Tales of faded dreams
Whiskey warmth can thaw the bones
Rip apart the seams
It's not hard to set it down
Bottle clear and dry
Much harder though not to reach
When shadows sleep nearby

In smoky tavern's dark embrace
Where spirits seek a name
The challenge isn't finding peace
It's living through the same
Soldiers of a silent war
Wrestle with the dawn
Day by day they draw their breath
Soldiers yet reborn

Don't take that first one
Hear the ancient call
Each sunrise a victory
Lest we dare to fall
With a sponsor's guiding hand
The fight may never end
Strength found in the humble words
From stranger turned to friend

Sages speak of easy paths
But tangle in the weeds
True fortune lies in numbered days
And planting sober seeds
Sobriety's a map unrolled
But roads are harsh and cold
Every step's a giant's leap
In a story never told

Across the fields of clover's green
Where past and future meet
Footprints of the bitter days
Map the endless street
A circle free of poison's touch
Each meeting hands entwined
The hardest road is leaning on
The pillars once declined

Don't take that first one
Hear the ancient call
Each sunrise a victory
Lest we dare to fall
With a sponsor's guiding hand
The fight may never end
Strength found in the humble words
From stranger turned to friend