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Musings on Depression



The following four posts were written over the course of four days. 
They are a reflection of living with and inside depression.



Disappear

I wish that I could disappear
just slowly melt away.
Exist outside the cold
harsh world, amidst the night and day.

My soul’s to weak to hold the flesh.
I’ve shed it off in fear.
Weaving through the periphery
I’ll leave a smile, a tear.

I’ll leave a faint impression,
like letters etched in glass.
You might just recollect my face,
but the image will not last.

Weaving like the evening mist
that spreads across the ground,
I’ll melt into your memories,
though I’ll barely be around.

I want to just evaporate.
My misery dissolve like steam.
I’ll fall so ever peacefully,
Deep inside a dream.


My body – My Prison
  
A little man lives inside my head
Of that I know for sure.
He yells and screams and brings me pain
And then he yells some more.

His words of hate and loathing
Make me feel so small.
They bend me and they twist and
And I curl into a ball.

He takes his hands and pounds
My heart and makes sure that it hurts.
Then with his shoe, he takes the heel
And grinds it in the dirt.

My body’s like a prison.
Where he controls each cell
His propaganda paints the walls
And turns my thoughts to hell.

He demands complete attention.
There’s no one else I hear
He rules with intimidation
He causes doubt and fear.

I try to make him vacate
To unlock the bars inside
But he is sly and clever
And knows just where to hide

Sometimes he will decide to rest
And falls into a sleep
I bring the knives to to cut him lose
But his grasp goes very deep

I try so hard to silence him
To set this demon free
But he feels the push and awakens
And then turns the knives on me.


When Darkness Comes
   
When you’re pulled into the the darkness how do you find the light?

The walls close in and the air becomes heavy.

Your lungs strain against your chest and your heart pounds.

Anxiety takes over. You try to take a deep breath. 
You can’t – there’s no air.

There has to be a way out. You search for a sliver of light. 
You want to find an exit.

Your hands grasp for something secure. 
You swim in the absence of color.

There’s no sense of time and space. You’re isolated and alone. Close your eyes and hear the voice in your head.

The voice comes from the darkness. It’s seductive and persuasive. It wants you to listen only to its whispers of hopelessness and failure.

It’s irrational and to drown it out, you must search for the rational.

You stumble in the dark. Where is the rational voice to guide you? It’s weak and barely audible, but it exists.

Listen for it. Let it grow louder until it cracks an opening in the dark that surrounds you.

You’ll see a light. Your lungs will expand and you can exhale what is toxic.

There is illumination and color. You’re in a new space, and the walls open.

Enjoy the moments of clarity. They are brilliant. 
You’ll feel related and deserving of love.

Cling to these rooms of warmth and light. 
Remain as long as you can.

One day you’ll stumble and that dark presence will emerge from the shadows.

It will reach out and embrace you like a lover. It will whisper into your ear, and pull you into the darkness once again.
 

Stigma

Now you will think less of me,
Since I have exposed a truth.
You’ll think that I’m the weaker one.
All my ramblings are uncouth.

You’ll start to turn away, and
Whisper in other’s ears.
It’s not that I have changed at all
Your judgment’s based on fears.

I’ve erased away the closeness.
There’ll just exist a void.
You’ll see me in diminished light.
It’s fine to be dismissive and annoyed.

Isn’t it all just drama,
can it really be so grim?
A real man controls his emotions, so buck up,
Raise your chin.

It’s not like it is cancer.
A disease that we can see.
No valid illness inside the head.
That’s all “crazy” talk to me.

To you I am a stranger now,
An avoidable enigma.
It’s not up to you to change the view,
Just carry on the stigma.


 

Comments

  1. Beautiful. I'm sorry you're battling this. I know how hard it is.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica: Thanks for your kind words. I really appreciate it.

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  2. Thanks so much for sharing the deepest part of yourself with us. I'm grateful to know you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cassandra: I am grateful to know you as well. Thanks so much for checking out my blog, providing kind words and supporting my writing.

      Delete

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