God Forbid a Junkie Get His Head on Straight – Cole Shuherk

January 17, 2026

When he moves people with words pooled gently in his mouth
when he can get them to do what he wants
when they’re easy, when they’re simple,
when they’re solved.
He’s disgusted to know he can snap a psyche like a toothpick.

They float sedated into the black of his yawn,
bored. hungry. stupid. happier than he is. Unafraid,
and they do not sate him. He swallows teeth.
He swallows pride.

No fate worse
than knowing he could be right.

God forbid a junkie get his head on straight.
God forbid he knows better than the rest of us.
God forbid he feeds us something true.
We need him bankrupt.
We need to keep him hungry, begging and damned.

Much depends on his being wrong about it all.

watch him sink, smile.
There’s a hole in the bottom of his mouth where the silver of his tongue stops shining,
watch him choke, laugh.