I used to justify addictive lapse
by focusing on some convenient stress:
obnoxious kids; a thankless job perhaps;
an obstacle to peace or happiness.
The fact is, if I wanted to indulge
in too much food, or pot, or nicotine,
excuses weren’t hiding. To divulge
the truth, external drives were never keen.

So when I see one falling back to vice,
and watch his mate accuse herself of fail-
ing to assess the triggers that entice,
I shake my head at psychobabble’s flail.
The loved one isn’t dumb – he easy found
the formula for quicksand, where he drowned.