Carrie Czwakiel is a single mother of a 14 year old son with autism and live in Glenville, New York. She started writing poetry when she was 13 to “let out my teenage angst”. Carrie grew up in a home where both of her parents were born again ordained ministers – freedom of speech, other than their religious view, was not allowed. Poetry as a teenager was an escape to put her feelings onto paper. She then married and didn’t write poetry again until after her divorce.
In July of 2014, her friend Randee Renzi invited her to Poetry in Motion in downtown Albany at the outside piano near the bridge. Carrie didn’t think she realized the effect this would have on my life.
“I had just recently gotten divorced. I listened to everyone’s performance and I realized that I could say anything in the written word. I was inspired to write my first poem in 21 years. It was titled “No More” and I spoke about being married to a 30 year combat veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and an alcoholic. I spoke about the abuse and the things I was embarrassed for everyone to find out what my son and I had been through for over a decade. I performed this piece in January 2015 for the first time. I now use poetry to work through my issues and to go through the steps necessary to heal. Writing and performing poetry has saved my spirit, as well as my sanity. I will never give it up again.”
Coffee is the Devil
I wakeup with him every morning
And sometimes I’m with him into the night
My master calls me and I answer
As he flows through my veins
My heartrate quickens
At times he is bitter;
and other times so sweet and creamy
As it rolls over my tongue
I can’t help but swallow
Different flavors to entice me to keep coming back
He can be light and airy
A medium blend to add a little substance
But oh how the dark roast enters my nostrils
And fills me with a longing to take him in
If the only way to get a cup of caffeine
Is to lay down with the Devil
Count me in
Pain Lingers On
When the memory oflove becomes a faded dream
That only touches the subconscious
That piece of you you can’t delete
How to not let it affect you
When it is part of you
To hit that mental skip button
When it taps you on the shoulder
To make someone disappear from your mind
When you loved them unconditionally
Before the dysfunction showed its ugly head.
The love is hard to forget
While the pain lingers on
