Early on, I saw that poems I wrote while still active as an alcoholic knew more about my dilemma than I did or were more honest about it than I was. When I was getting sober, I didn't write for five years. When I wrote 'Black Money,' for instance, I was able to look the hardship of his drinking and its affect on the family and my mother cold in the eye. Saying what the truth is, even in aftermath, is a healing thing.
Alcoholism is still a very 'subliminal' disease, for the sufferer and loved ones.
We can't believe it's happening. Poetry alone won't get or keep anyone clean. Look at Kurt Cobain. Initially, through writing, I was able to face a certain painful and persistent sense of abandonment. It's amazing how long it took for me to put things together, but writing really helped me face the dread and the pain to see what lay beyond.