“I smile and say thanks / As I beat myself inside / Never really believing / That I have goodness in my life,” wrote a recovering addict named Chance.
Chloe Poston, a senior graduating from BYU-Idaho with a degree in communication, helped incarcerated men and women working through addiction recovery compile their experiences written through poetry.
Poston said that her project’s purpose is “to help educate people about the person behind addiction.“
Poston published the poems in a book titled I’m Just a Person.
To access Poston’s blog recounting her project and a digital edition of the book, click here.
Poston has volunteered at The Center for Hope peer recovery center for three years.
“When I first started attending, I was kind of just curious and I had a pretty angry spot in my heart,” Poston said. “So it was super cathartic for me, especially (since) I was attending meetings with parents and hearing their stories. And it really softened me up and helped me through my own personal issues.”
Poston’s father is an addict, but he’s not part of her life.
Poston’s personal experiences placed her in a special position to motivate individuals trying to overcome addiction. She can help them understand how grateful their kids will be in the future for all their hard work and sacrifice, according to Poston.
“It’s been really healing,” Poston said.
Chance, the aforementioned recovering addict-turned-poet, wrote nearly half the poems in the book. He received little formal education and only writes in poetry. He even journals in poetry, according to Poston.
“You could see a progression from his first go on to his last poem,” Poston said. “His first couple poems were super dark and sad and dreary, and his final poem really encapsulates his entire experience writing out his struggles and how cathartic that’s been.”
“It’s because of you / Your encouragement and praise / That I can stand there in the mirror / looking back at my face,” Chance wrote in an ending excerpt.
