Eric

Cocaine, Oxycodone, Percocets…
Those familiar demons known to
take over the innocent bodies of vulnerable people,
known to force them to steal a mere prescription pad
that ultimately led to the arrest of 63 people
Tuesday, November 31st.
Many roots planted in the small town.
Many families left with barely any baggage of
their loved one’s mistake.

You read about Eric.
The Leader. The Supplier.
The biggest drug lord on the South Shore.
Your thoughts too quick to dwell upon
Your words too fast off your tongue
and onto the newspaper website your convictions fly,
the ignorant townspeople’s comments along with them.
You talk about what he did,
the “scumbag” he is
as if you have no dirty laundry of your own to air out.

You have no care to those your harsh words travel back to,
no care to the unnecessary damage you’ve caused for
the 11 year old boy who severely struggles in school,
the 13 year old girl who silently screams suicide, and
the 17 year old high school girl who tries her best to get by.
None of that matters to you because
of course you know the unpublished printable part.
Eric Simmons.
An everyday family man,
Accidentally addicted to his back pain medication.
Who needed not your rude remarks,
But simply a little help.
My father.