"Are All Things Labelled Bad For You'? Bad For You

Are all things labelled “bad for you’ bad for you?

Probably, possibly; it’s worth taking notice of the warning

Some things are obvious to those who can see them

A burning fire, water rising without means to flow away

A hot element on a stove. We are warned of lifestyle choices

Don’t drink too much alcohol. Why? It leads to insobriety and foolish

Choices and behaviour. You don’t believe me? Possibly not

The morning after a night of heavy drinking dawns, and you feel like death

Why is everyone talking so loudly, and laughing (what did I do)

Your head’s as fuzzy as your memory. Why are they so bright and happy?

Don’t they know the time? [Check’s bedside clock, it reads 1 pm]

That can’t be! I want to go back to sleep, for 2 or 3 days

“You’ve got a hangover”, someone shouts and laughs

“I’ve got a hangover?” I ask myself, ‘Is this what the aftermath 

of drinking too much feels like?” Probably those who warned me

Knew something, maybe I should have listened.

Sex and drugs and rock’n’roll have long been cast as being demons

In my younger days, I have memories of falling prey to one or more of them

Were they all bad? No, many were enjoyable; might have stressed people’s tolerance

I was suitably remorseful the mornings after. The label “bad for you”

Is like lighting the subject up in neon lights. They said that I can’t.

Guess what, I can and most probably will. The question is, “Why?”

Experience, milord and milady; experience, in the sense of gaining experience

Experience, as in measuring experience; deciding when enough is enough

Experience, as in feeling, the whole range of feelings; defeat, success, 

To have lost; each emotion is a teacher, working towards creating a rounder, more complete

Human being. Experience, as in “I have experienced”, “I am experienced”, I speak

From experience. Hear me or listen to me, as you choose. It is not mine to lose

It is yours to gain, train, sing refrains, exit or remain. It is your life. Life is a gift

It is not a right; nonetheless, it does entail having responsibilities; choices and decisions

Decisions that matter when all else shatters and lay broken on the ground, that sound

That lonely, desolate sound, sobbing, “come to the end; witness a beginning”

All is not lost; it is beginning; come feel, the emotion of winning

“Forgive me, father, I have failed.” No, my son, you have tried, experienced

And did not give in; I am proud of you. Have pride in yourself.

You are battered, yes; that does not matter. A shower and a shave

You’ll be as right as rain; the gentle rain that follows a thunderstorm