Madness

This is about how mental illness can be a part of you but does not define you.

I manifest in many ways;
I am the incessant thought,
The constant voice, whispering:
'Did you turn off the curling iron?'
I am the itch you can't quite scratch,
Both a comfort and a curse.
I am the demon of dark thoughts -
Giving you am impulse to hurt others.
I am familiar to you - my hands -
Permanently stained with cleaning fluids.
I am a bad dream, waking you in the night -
Your personal horror movie.
I am your prison, but you hold the key,
I am you, but you are not solely me.

Author's Note

This is a work in progress so any and all feedback is welcome.

Reviews

[alifeacoustic]

Wonderfully captured lines depicting the rollercoaster of thoughts, feelings and emotions that stop and start at their own will, yet slowly crumble our own. Your last line really rounds this piece of "I am you, but you are not solely me." Shows that although at times we have to cede control to it, that we are not solely and absolutely under its control.
Thank you for sharing this.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and it would be good if the "not solely" could turn to not at all...

we tend to have those thoughts so often...did i do this, did i leave this on, did i lock the door....things we do automatically we suddenly start doubting if we did them at all..

much like with relationships in life...we can be so natural with them...just act, speak, love...and then maybe a bad relationship happens and we start second guessing ourselves and get really hesitant...and miss out.

really like the way you did this analogy...

j.

[Rachel]

Wow, I just got chills from reading this. This is one of the best poems I have ever came across. I am in utter awe, from the affect this poem has had on me. I can't describe how many times people want to define one another based on the title of a mental illness. It can go to the point, where the individual is questioning themselves and believing what others are saying. We all have imperfections and flaws, but thats what makes us who we are, and they shouldn't define us ever, but instead become apart of us. I really love this poem! Thank you for writing this.
If you could take time out of your day to read my writings, I would be honored to have someone like yourself review my work.

[Bacchus]

Favorite line- "but you are not solely me"
Thank you.