Breathe

Breathe.

Just f*****g breathe

That’s how I get through the day.

 

Sleep.

Never to wake

Is this how you want to end up?

 

Dead?

A corpse loved ones will mourn

For the rest of their lives?

 

Stop

And look at what is around you

Look at the people

The sky

The earth

Me.

 

How can you not see

What is right in front of you

The person staring at you

With tears in her eyes

And a lump in her throat

 

Look at me

See how I am crying with you

Feeling your pain

Your torment

I have demons too

Too many to count on one hand

And still I stand here with you

Wanting to help you

Needing to help you not feel

This anguish

 

So you will finally see happiness

And joy

And love

That’s what I have for you

Love in my heart

Which aches in my chest

 

It hurts to look at you

But I can't stop

I'm afraid you’ll disappear again

And never come back

 

Don’t listen to the bullshit around you

It’s just us

Don’t think about any of it

Just breathe

Breathe with me

As I struggle to pull air into my lungs

Because I was once like you

 

I wanted death

I thought it would bring me peace

I thought drugs would take me away

From the pain

The memories

The heartache

But they didn’t

 

So I gave up

I felt everything

No drugs

No bottle

Just sober thoughts drifting

Into a state of hopelessness that engulfed me

For months at a time

Made me a zombie

Eating away at myself until I had nothing

But a body that trudged through each day

Feeding at the bottom

Until I gained enough strength

To try to move on

 

And I did

 

My past still haunts me

So many ghosts

And faces

And agony

But I made it out alive

And kicking

And screaming

 

And you can too

You may not believe me now

But I know you will make it

Through all the bad s**t

You’re still strong

You’re still alive

 

And I am still here

I'm not going anywhere.

Reviews

[00000000000000000000000..]

Wow another strong write:) I am lost for words lol! It's not every day I am lost for words, But your writing is to the core serious. I love that:) I like the get real feel:) It is by far profound and I feel you gave me the advice I need with this poem to the lady was writing you about:) Weird how things work out. Your a true spoken winner in my book Michelle :)

[Simon Welsh]

Those last two lines hold the most impact. Nice poem!