Basics Staying Power

If I never leave the basics,
I never have to get them back.
But where are they,
what are they?
Basics are fundamentals,
the principles...
Admitting powerlessness,
I look inward honestly —
honesty is a principle.
What could be more basic than hope
at least for the hopeless like me, insane,
doing the same thing time after time,
expecting this time...
Daring different from a greater power,
faith is a decision.
Courage to face facts,
integrity to admit them,
willingness for change to come
from beyond my control,
humility to let it happen —
pretty dramatic, but still basic...
Cleaning up debris of my past
comes from self-discipline
and love, and holding all together,
preventing unraveling, happens
through perseverance, spiritual awarenessand service.  But how?
Twelve principles, basic every one,
yet so nebulous, so ideal.
I'm too weak, I can't do it.
But of course, that honesty starts me
down the path. I'll walk,
Step by Step, grabbing hold of basics
as often as needed, holding on to each.
I certainly don't want to live
without them.