Sugar Crash

Poetry • March 2025 • Love's Comedown

Some of what I write is heavy. Some of it’s light.
But all of it’s honest.
If you like that kind of space, I’d be honored to have you here.

“I want a little sugar in my bowl.”
— Nina Simone

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Sugar Crash

A poem by Drew Gaither, March 2026

I’m not hyperglycemic, but
hyperactivity thrashed 
amidst novelty 
pushed past 
the limits of indulgence
led to a sudden spike 
in Sugar that quickly 
flooded my bloodstream—
now I’ve crashed.

Learning and wiring—
the neural networks,
the pathways,
so they say—
show you the way
out the fray 
of convoluted 
cognitive 
disarray. 

But, to my dismay,
this Sugar finds 
its way toward 
a feedback loop—
near-deadly;
torture and play. 

Quite simply,
on the battlefield 
of love and lust—
at odds when another,
or others compete 
for strained insulin
quick to combust.

Surprisingly, I almost fell 
into a consensually induced coma
to stabilize my levels—
but, in the end, 
the procedure was canceled 
due to concerns 
of contaminated anesthetic.

Wheeled back home 
and off to bed
I crashed. My body—
weighted lead.

I rode the Sugar high 
but need to learn 
how to check a pump
tied to something 
detached from 
hyperglycemia.

Not hyperglycemic.
Just crashed.

I’ll call the doc tomorrow.

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