5 Stages to Everything Except Making Tea
︎︎︎ Travis Stephens
︎ Oct 28, 2025
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross described five stages of grief:
Anger,
Denial,
Bargaining,
Depression,
Acceptance.
As recovering alcoholic, single Dad &
part-time gardener, I subscribe that
there are five stages to many things.
Consider romance:
Tease,
Thrill,
Move-in,
Marriage,
Acceptance.
My detox is:
Hangover,
Thirsty,
Sneaky,
Desperate,
Smug.
Five guys to build a house:
Planner,
Pourer,
Carpenter,
Plumber,
Electrician.
To quit smoking:
Parceled,
Gum chewing,
Gain weight,
Twitchy,
Haunted.
Even the 5 steps of cuckold:
Shock,
Rage,
Violence,
Denial,
Calm
as water trickled onto new, soft grass
on the unnoticed ground where
the bodies are.
Anger,
Denial,
Bargaining,
Depression,
Acceptance.
As recovering alcoholic, single Dad &
part-time gardener, I subscribe that
there are five stages to many things.
Consider romance:
Tease,
Thrill,
Move-in,
Marriage,
Acceptance.
My detox is:
Hangover,
Thirsty,
Sneaky,
Desperate,
Smug.
Five guys to build a house:
Planner,
Pourer,
Carpenter,
Plumber,
Electrician.
To quit smoking:
Parceled,
Gum chewing,
Gain weight,
Twitchy,
Haunted.
Even the 5 steps of cuckold:
Shock,
Rage,
Violence,
Denial,
Calm
as water trickled onto new, soft grass
on the unnoticed ground where
the bodies are.
Travis Stephens is a tugboat captain who lives with his family in California. His book of poetry skeeter bit & still drunk was published by Finishing Line Press.
Also by Travis: Caravels for Joan
Also by Travis: Caravels for Joan