I Am Alone

There is nobody here to share my sorrow

There is nobody here to cut the ball and chain of my responsibilities, my chores

To allow me to run and play like a carefree child, to think of happy things and make daisy chains in the sun

When will someone hear my cry?

You walk away and leave me alone to deal with my internal sadness, you desert me

Who is here to soothe my pain, to love me and tell me it will be all right?

Only God, but Dad said God does not exist

So I am alone

I get tired of fighting for acceptance, to be heard, to be understood and to be unconditionally loved

But most of all I get tired of fighting to be considered, to be thought of and cared for

You cannot look at me, you stare away or down at the ground

You no longer care what happens, you are not interested in my words unless they are happy ones

I am an adult yes, but I am still a lonely child

It’s deja vu, its history repeating itself.

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Poetry by Mental Illness Sufferers – Minds Unleashed

I often receive enquiries about people wanting to submit or read poetry for bipolar disorder sufferers so I thought I’d share details about the publication “Minds Unleashed” compiled by Nicci, an Australian Mental Health Advocate who freely distributes poetry by mental illness sufferers around the world.

Minds Unleashed is distributed in PDF format for free to Carers, Consumers, Educators and Clinicians, in hope of increasing awareness and reducing stigma surrounding mental illness and it would benefit greatly from your poetry.
 
A free updated version is distributed electronically bi-monthly (if new poems have been received). Several universities and training organisations use this manuscript as a course resource. Minds Unleashed reaches people all over Australia and some other countries. So only submit your poetry if you are happy for it to be distributed and forwarded freely. 

To submit your work please email: forwalls@xi.com.au

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Bipolar Poetry

Writing poetry can be very therapeutic for those with a mental illness.

Poetry can allow you to tell without telling, to process difficult feelings and emotions, to help you or the reader understand complicated situations, to take layers of complicated life’s experiences and put meaning into them and to process and resolve trauma.

Bipolar Poetry is an online website dedicated to poetry written by those with Bipolar Disorder. The website was started by a psychiatrist whose patients found therapy in writing poetry.

I have submitted a poem to Bipolar Poetry. You can submit your poetry to Bipolar Poetry by clicking HERE or write to me and I will publish your poetry on my blog.

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Dear Family of Mine

I found this poem in a book called If Only, about personal stories of loss through suicide. It touched my heart so I thought I would share it with you.

Dear family of mine, I want you to see

I never wanted this sadness for you or me

I longed to be happy, carefree and gay

But sometimes, family, things don’t work that way

I had pain, family, although you could not see

And there was nothing you or anyone could do for me

If I had died by accident, in illness or pain

You’d not wish me back to live it all again

For me life on earth has ended

What’s done is done and can’t be mended

Family, i’m done with trouble, stress and strife

And all the things that spoiled my life

Dear family of mine, don’t grieve too much for me

For I am happy, at peace and free

Don’t weep and wail and look so sad

Remember all the good times we had

I left this world with sad regret

But your lives, family, are not over yet

So live those lives with a smile on each face

To laugh and be happy is no disgrace

And when your time on earth is through

I’ll be waiting here for each of you

Family of mine.

 

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