The idea for my piece manifested itself after some texts Sophia and I exchanged about the Parkland school shooting. Sophia’s bravery and boldness in her piece inspired me to step outside of my comfort zone and write a poem from the perspective of a person who suffers from mental illness. Our country turns its back on these people. Let’s end the silence.
silence
thoughts in my head swirl endlessly
voices
yours or mine?
yours, never directed at me
mine, echo louder than a cannon
sorrow
envelops me like an avalanche I can never outrun
trouble
all around me, surrounding all of you
fear
I am afraid . . . of you, of him, of her, of them
of myself
anger
the rage inside of me might swallow me whole
loneliness
deep inside myself like the bottom of an endless canyon
acceptance
this is me. this is who I am. this defines me.
ending
it’s now. it’s here. it’s over.
silence