Poem From A Psych Ward

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Carlton Carr
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Poem From A Psych Ward

Post by Carlton Carr »

This is a haven
from the razor edge of night
where flames of hell
still burn
but not so bright

Where sorrow is
but sorrow is not felt
where the orbit of the earth
around the sun
has stopped its flight

One moment to sleep
as though in death
to breathe the breath
of life
a dying breath

Not knowing still
in the very stillness
of the dead white walls
what battles rage inside
what mad ravings are stilled
by pills
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Geek McGyver
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Post by Geek McGyver »

Whoa. Blew my mind. This is awesome :)
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LivreAmour217
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Post by LivreAmour217 »

This is beautiful. Such an accurate portrayal of what MH patients go through, both in and out of treatment.
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one." - Albert Einstein
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Carlton Carr
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Post by Carlton Carr »

Hi Geek Mcgyver and LivreAmour217. Thanks so much for reading, your responses are encouraging. I am a survivor of bipolar disorder and have had numerous stays at psychiatric facilities so these words are personal and my hope is that they may deepen the understanding of the human experience of mental challenges.
Let others live in black and white; you must live in Technicolor...make your reader see the blood at the heart of the ruby. Rita Mae Brown
KiwiKaylee90
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Post by KiwiKaylee90 »

This is amazing, I love it! Beautifully written portrayal!
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fifthmayfly
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Post by fifthmayfly »

Wow, this is amazing. Hit the nail on the head, I must say. Post more!
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Carla Hurst-Chandler
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Post by Carla Hurst-Chandler »

I spent the last five years of my nursing career working on a lock-down Psych Unit. Brilliant and revealing poem.
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Blackbeez
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Post by Blackbeez »

I love this. What a wonderful style of poetry. I love that it's deep, dark and accurately descriptive in an artistic way. Feelings flowing on paper and your feelings are facts as well. It reminds me of a sort of safe purgatory.. a place where time stands still yet the madness is just on the other side and coming down the hallway. I can tell that this poem is very personal as well. It is beautiful and I hope it reaches many people in their battles with mental illness. Please don't stop writing!
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wendymm
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Post by wendymm »

Beautiful poem! It is so deep. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences.
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FreebieAddict15
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Post by FreebieAddict15 »

Perfect depiction of what emotions can be felt while inside a Mental Health Ward. Keep up the great work!
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pennyroyal
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Post by pennyroyal »

Beautiful & poignant.
Thank you for sharing.
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njzeba
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Post by njzeba »

I am stunned by the impact the last stanza has on me. Your words are very powerful but I wish you had extended that stanza a bit more because it feels like there is still so much more to be written in that stanza. If you got into the details, I think it would ahve blown my mind out completely.
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sherce11
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Post by sherce11 »

I loved your poem and found it to be very moving. Mental Health challenges are very common and I'm inspired by various efforts made today by different organizations to help rid society of the negative stigma associated with these issues.
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