Depression is a Family Illness
She gazed into my sullen eyes that had lost their sparkle.
She must have wondered what had changed.
She asked to play outside when joints and muscles limited.
I lay listless in the green chair, not a whisper.
I, absent in my presence, I failed to engage.
My daughter clung to what I could offer,
Warmth, a heart that always beats for her.
Climbing into my lap her heartbeat mirrored mine.
That is what we shared.
No meals prepared, no bath given,
No books read, no warmth spread.
I hid the irritability as if I had put it in a closet.
I succumbed to days lived in a void.
My husband steadied the ship.
She grew and the cycles copied themselves.
At seventeen she saved me.
I failed to believe life could offer life.
Looking for a way out, a reprieve,
I let go.
I lost her that day.
She carries on without me.
I carry on.
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Comments5
Very good words about an awful illness Katie.
Andy
Sad, dark, with a sense of hopelessness is the disease and so the poem as well. Nicely put together in a very personal manner spoken in the first person. Nicely done Katie
Wow, a very powerful poem, Katie. The central idea of the poem "Depression is a Family Illness" revolves around the profound impact of depression on familial relationships. It portrays the struggle of a parent grappling with mental illness and the ways it affects their ability to engage with their children and partner. The poem ultimately highlights the cycle of depression and the bittersweet nature of love and connection, which can exist even amidst emotional turmoil.
Depression sure is the silent killer in more ways than one.
A lot of people carry that weight, and although there is help, sometimes it's getting it.
Very well done
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