By T Money

Nine months in, and Justin was glowing—

Not from booze, not from weed, not from anything flowing.

He’d been carrying this thing, deep in his soul,

A sobriety baby—his life’s new goal.

At first, it was easy, just a little bloat,

Some cravings, some mood swings, but he stayed afloat.

Then came the nausea, the late-night sweats,

The weirdest damn dreams, the lingering regrets.

The devil on his shoulder, dressed in red,

Whispered, “C’mon, man, just one hit instead.”

But Justin knew better—he’d seen that trick,

One puff, one sip, and he’d be back real quick.

The cravings got stronger in that ninth month stretch,

Like contractions of old habits, making him wretch.

He gritted his teeth, he breathed real deep,

This sobriety baby was his to keep.

Then one day, BAM! The moment arrived,

Nine months clean—damn, he’d survived!

He held his newborn, fresh and new,

A life without smoke, a future in view.

“Congratulations!” his friends all cheered,

“You made it, man—despite what you feared!”

And though the devil still lurked, all sneaky and sly,

Justin just winked and kissed his baby goodbye.

For this was a birth worth all the pain,

A brand-new life, with everything to gain.

Congratulations on 9 months and your Sobriety Baby Justin NC!!

Published in A New Leaf – May 2025