"Can't you hear that?" "No, what's wrong?"
They look clueless, can't they hear that song?
Singing voices, chanting my name,
Like some adolescent game,
"We can't hear anything," they chorus,
Louder now these voices porous,
"Is there someone there behind me?"
I asked them when they came to find me,
"No one's there, don't be absurd,"
They don't understand, what I just heard,
They don't become hysterical at the voices,
They don't have to make such choices,
I hate it, how it scares me so,
"Of course it's real," what do they know?
"It's all inside your head my dear,"
"No it isn't! I live in fear",
They told me that I should be dead,
Try telling me now it's all in my head,
"I'm calling a doctor, you're unhinged!"
"Please God no! I'm fine!" I cringed,
I don't want a place with padded walls,
That won't stop their eerie calls,
"Here now darling, take this pill,"
"No I won't! I am not ill!" ,
And still these voices do consume,
When I'm all alone inside my room,
No matter if I'm in too much pain,
I don't want to be labelled 'clinically insane'
Sometimes it feels like it's a ghost,
And I'm just its unfortunate host,
I realise now that I'm not well,
So pills I take, but who can tell,
If they work then I'm okay,
I'm sure I'll manage and say,
"I bet you think you're clever, screaming in my mind,
but I am just a host, in which you are confined,"
These voices live inside my head,
"I know that now," I softly said,
I was lost between fact and fiction,
Now these pills ease this addiction,
Now I'm the one who makes the choices,
I softly whisper "I can't be hearing voices..."
Author notes
This is a true story I am Schizophrenic and I came up with this to describe it
In a list
A contest entry
- Go For The Gold/Rhymers by piccola.
500 points, ended August 31, 2008, 37 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Poetry, Poetry and PreWrites! by Lost Vampyre Angel.
1200 points, ended September 13, 2008, 340 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - the voices... by shecantstopfalling..
360 points, ended October 11, 2008, 14 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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Exceptional
I can't believe you didn't win a trophy with this one it is great and really sums up what it is like to live with voices. Many people still don't understand mental illness for example a friend of mine thinks I have mild schizophrenia but, he doesn't see the amount of tablets I have to take each day that make me well. As you know yourself there is no such thing as a mild schizophrenic you just live with it the best way that you can and that is not always easy. I found this poem really reflected what it is like to suffer with voices. It takes one to know one and not everyone will appreciate the depth and maturity of this poem. There is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental illness, but thanks to poems like this hopefully people will begin to understand. All the best to you my friend xxx
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hey hon i wanted you to know that I've heard voices talking to me in my head as well. But for me, the voice was one and it was a female. She'd tell me things about this guy I did like and everything she'd say came true. It was weird. I heard her for like eight or nine months.
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this is a really great poem!good luck...
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Very powerful and very personal. Wow.
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Powerful
No matter what dont worry about being clinically insane because sometimes the crazier people are the ones who try to act like they are sane (whether they know it or not.) I know that is a popular quote it just reminded me of this when i read it, just trying to make you feel better i guess
I dont know what Schizophrenia is like but when i read this i felt like i could relate, i have panic attacks with agoraphobia so i know what it feels like to think you are going crazy.
The doctors tell me that panic attacks are all in my head and i cant die from them or anything but i actually feel like i am going to die when i have them especially when nobodies around to help me, it makes it ten times worse.... And for a while i thought something else was wrong to but i literally thought i was going nuts.
So i get where your coming from even if we have two totally different things.
On a further note i really like this poem of yours because it does tell of a battle you've had quite powerfully. But just remember that everyone has their own personal demons EVERYONE. Even if they say they dont, you'd be surprised.
Anyways all im saying is dont give up, i know i dont know you or anything but you are an amazing poet, im glad i came across this poem when i did.
Great job
(sorry if this comment's so long, i have a lot to say.)
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From one Schizophrenic to another, WOW!!!!!!!!!
Love this...
I could so relate to so many of your words here...
Although I still haven't ruled out the whole possessed by ghosts/voices thing (could be my own ongoing delusion. lol!)
You have expressed with clarity & emotional impact, the fears & thoughts accompanying the onslaught of schizophrenia...
Impressive!!!
Well done!!!
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my son is schizophrenic so I understand. When I first started reading this I thought of mermaids calling to you or sirens even ... maybe because of the ocean background. Thank you for the entry. I enjoyed the rhyme and flow as well.
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this is amazing honey, this flowed so freely,
and it is a great storyline, and you know im always here for you, be safe,
all my love,
kitty xxx -
Incredible!
You have done an awesome job describing what this is like. This poem is very high on my list of favorites I've seen on this site. In so many ways I can compeletey relate to everything you wrote. It's a chilling, scary, accurate description of exactly how this feels. You have done an outstanding job putting into words the mental and even physical anguish that this causes. And you did it in a strangly beautiful way. Every word fits. The flow is incredible. Awesome poem!
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