ADDICTED OR AFFLICTED?

Photo ©Copyright by John-Ward LeightonAuthor’s Note: A poem inspired by the photographic work of Canadian Poet, writer, and photographer – John-Ward Leighton

Canadian Snow bird bums, perhaps amongst them some old veterans suffering from PTSD and mental problems come here from all across Canada to get away from the snow, ice and cold in the rest of our beautiful Nation. They bring their addictions with them. They sleep on our streets and the harsh wet damp climate of Vancouver and Victoria claims many lives each and every year. They die of alcohol poisoning, drug overdoses and of natural causes, cold, hypothermia, liver problems, heart attacks and neglect by a system that released them from former Government Money Saving mental institutions to fend for themselves on the cold streets of lotus land. Merry Christmas my friends and best o’ health to all in 2007 – Billy Willbond

Note: John Ward-Leighton, published on the IWVPA and several anthologies and, in Military Circles, is a recognized Canadian Poet, a first class writer, an expert photographer who served in the Army with this writer during the cold war peacekeeping era. Like the writer, John is a paratrooper! Leighton is retired but continues to write and take beautiful photographs of naked young ladies, scenery in the parks, architecture, flowers, building both historical and new in the Vancouver area. John supports the AIDS ORPHANS OF AFRICA through ICROSS CANADA and I am proud to call him my friend.