Lovely psychosis poem by Skye EmersonAll Poetry

‘Lovely Psychosis’ – Directions for Survival [a poem]

By Skye Emerson | Featured Contributor


Once there was optimism to see silver laced clouds 
til the world shook on its axis and decidedly bowed. 
Psychosis (they say) is to go quite insane, 
lose touch with reality, but they never mention the pain. 
When all that is true breaks at the seams, 
life becomes survival, desperation and screams. 
Mistrusting your judgement since all you see is false, 
no more gut feelings to rely on, you’ve got to just halt. 
Buried beneath the weight of taunting monsters and more, 
the theories roll, there is no staunching it despite how you implore.

Eventually, the doctor will finally take note, 
through terror laced tears you sought out help and hope. 
The medicine works! That’s great, saves the day, 
the 50lb weight gain, well at least you’re not in a grave. 
Time will return that the world is no longer asunder, 
blessed peace will come back, beautiful and quiet as thunder. 
There isn’t much that the mind cannot do, 
it a remarkable system when it runs smooth. 

So if you find yourself in that darkest of nights, 
keep hold of your love and never stop searching for light. 

Psychosis is agony, there’s no hiding it, 
vulnerability is the solution though surrendering seems amiss. 
Give trust to those that care about you, 
seeing through their eyes might keep you from the thorazine zoo. 
Recognize, none of us perfection incarnate, 
schizo or not we all have a life to live well and stories to make.

Skye Emerson
Skye Emerson

Skye Emerson (aka Meltingneurons) is a poet, blogger, and a 34-year-old schizoaffective bipolar man studying philosophy and psychology. From 2017 to 2018, he spent nearly a year in a psychosis which eventually led to his formal diagnosis. His writing has been featured on Sudden Denouement, with an emphasis on expressing mental illness in artistic fashion, dealing with addiction, and creatively rephrasing the world around us. He aims to give insight to the world around about the inner turmoil and challenges facing those so often stigmatized at a time when they need love the most.


If you would like your writing to be considered for publication on Health + Inspiration, visit here for information regarding submissions.


14 replies »

We welcome you to share...