Helpless to Help Her

So black in her shadow
Her tears deep and fallow
Lost in her night time she trembles
Bewildered scared and scarred
She is blood and blades
Horizon dim too far to see
I wish, I plead she could be me
Swaddled in my arms she sleeps
Her nights long, shes armed
Hallowed her space upon stoney ground
Mirrors distorted her eyes bind
Reflecting reflections of fear
She, is blood and blades

Author's Note

Muse to depression and the feeling of helplessness to help a person with mental illness.

Reviews

[Laughing-Bear]

My Dear Friend Helen From Across The Pond:
After you gave me a personal clue to why and to whom you wrote this poem about, I felt compelled to ponder it before the jumbo jet takes me to America. As I sat in these early pre-dawn hour’s before my fire my thoughts on this write hovered around my head much like my pipes smoke. Within these lines I could feel the feelings of helplessness, torment, and anguish of more than one pneuma.
Your choice of two words, they being “fallow” and “scarred”, gave a punch to this poem I liken unto yelling the word “hike” to my dog team and feeling the jerk from the immense power that has just been unleashed. Not just a power that the physical body feels, but a greater power that is felt within ones spirit. I posted these two words definition below incase there might be a reader whom could find them useful in unlocking the power of this word tapestry.
Your line “I wish, I plead she could be me” brought a sledge hammer blow to this reader, how often we would trade places for those we love, this line reminded me of something of a prayer brought forth from your deepest parts of your spirit.
Your line “Mirrors distorted her eyes bind” was a powerful truth not seen by those in such a hell. Their verisimilitude is not necessarily that of actuality. But all the same, at that point and time it is as real to them as any actual truth can be.
As one whom went to college to become a counselor I’ve seen many such tormented souls. Those whom felt the cutting on their house of painful anguish reduced their emotional pain, and those who felt they were just not able to trod on one more step.
Most of those, whom have made turnarounds in their lives so they can clearly see a true reflection in the mirror of their pneuma, did so with loving support. Support that did not always try to give opinions or had answers. But support that was there to listen, love, and just be with even if words were rarely shared. This person of whom you wrote is blessed to have you in their life.
A good heart felt read for those brave enough to face the shadows.

Blessings, Laughing-Bear

fallow
adjective
1 fallow farmland uncultivated, unplowed, untilled, unplanted, unsown; unused, dormant, resting, empty, bare. antonym cultivated.

scar |skär|
noun
1 a mark left on the skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not healed quite completely and fibrous connective tissue has developed : a faint scar ran the length of his left cheek.
• figurative a lasting effect of grief, fear, or other emotion left on a person's character by a traumatic experience : the attack has left mental scars on Terry and his family.
• a mark left on something following damage of some kind : Max could see scars of the blast.
verb ( scarred |skɑrd|, scarring |skɑrɪŋ|) [ trans. ] (often be scarred)
mark with a scar or scars : he is likely to be scarred for life after injuries to his face, arms, and legs | [as adj., in combination ] ( -scarred) battle-scarred troops.
• [ intrans. ] form or be marked with a scar.
DERIVATIVES
scarless |ˈskɑrləs| adjective
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French escharre, via late Latin from Greek eskhara ‘scab.’

[TrimarcoRansome]

Thank you, BillBear, At a time of not knowing, which way to turn the only thing you can do it be there, care and do what ever you can too make things better. As you know this was a parents nightmare, the feeling of helplessness was overpowering to me.
Helen

[Sheila Kline]

When we must stand by and watch, unable to help another it is enough to cause us great angst - which you have been able to convey in your words! It is a heavy cross to bear!

[TrimarcoRansome]

Thank you, yes it is as you know yourself.

[David Scott]

You wrote a relatable poem with a sensitive tone.
I am no expert with mental illness, but I have dealt with depression.
My way of thinking is that others are not helpless to help. Others are only not given control.
When we give time, and show concern and support, we are helping. Still, all we can do is help with energy and love.
Also, we can make tough calls and get them help from professionals when they have lost the ability to function safely. I fear there is too much stigma around helping people who have a sickness of the mind. We would never judge someone for not walking on a broken bone or encourage someone to "hang in there" when they are having a heart attack.
Our society has a long way to go in understanding and healing mentally sick individuals.
Writing poetry about it is a start, but it seems we have been doing so for years with little affect on societies perceptions.
A touching poem Helen.

[Sami Khalil]

You possess a great style of writing ...Thank you for sharing...:)

[TrimarcoRansome]

Thank you!

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome...:)

[Travis Gibson (poetic h..]

You've captured the emotion you describe in the title completely. Well done!

[TrimarcoRansome]

Thank you!

[Travis Gibson (poetic heroics)]

It was a pleasure.

[lothlorienwriter]

That feeling of helplessness is well shown in your admirable piece. Am told you've added some good poems today and being new you could do with a few reviews so I will have a look. I only have two of my poems on here but use the site a lot for networking and even a little inspiration.

[TrimarcoRansome]

Thank you for your comments, yes I have added some new poems today and appreciate some reviews, not everyone reviews back on here it seems, i have given dozens of them to random authors yet still have the same few reviewing mine. I have reviewed what you had on, have you added more? I was without a computer for a week whilst it was fixed.

[John Phoenix Hutchinson..]

22 views and no reviews come on Writers Cafe people this is a good poem!

[TrimarcoRansome]

Thanks John, maybe they are shy or just not of the same opinion?! either way I'm pleased with this one!