Unimaginable

a poem i wrote my freshman year trying to understand and explain my own experience with mental illness as well as that of other people that i couldn't imagine

The split second before waking up from a falling dream 
Wind stricken, lungs vacant 
Unable to scream
Certain you won’t make it 
Like the distance between the car and your door
In a cold sleet storm 
Or the sting of a shower stream 
Before it gets warm
I stay falling 
The sleet hits my back 
Day out and in 
‘Till it turns to 
Scabs, then
Scales, then
Chunks 
Of red skin

Author's Note

warning, some blood/scarring imagery if that sort of thing disturbs/triggers you.

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

I recognise anxiety in these lines. My grandson suffers from it and explains in depth his feelings to me, particularly after he has had a panic. It can be the smallest thing which acts like a trigger and then grows into a monster. Your ending spoke to me with the sadness that I have witnessed. A brave write.

Chris

[k]

[Poetrylover]

I enjoyed reading your poem. The rhyme and imagery is on point. I hope you will explain more about the poem but im picking a theme of fear/anxiety

[k]

thank you! yes, defiantly lots about fear and anxiety. this poem is kind of difficult for me to explain because the whole inspiration behind is essentially me trying to rationalize other people's experiences with irrational things like more severe mental illness by comparing them with my owns=. well, i guess there you have it haha

[Poetrylover]

I get it. Wow