Voices

taking for granted a life of simplicity.
undervaluing an existence where right and wrong appear so easily identifiable.
minimizing a reality where uncertainty may not always be preferred, but at least it doesn’t terrorize.
Diminishing an active presence that allows you to pave your way through the life you want to lead.

Periods of solitude should be just that.
Opportunities to extract yourself from the daily noise.
moments to get away from the miseries that attempt to drag you down.

it must feel hellacious to get stuck in your own head.
it must feel torturous not to be able to escape your own thoughts.
no one should have to fight away the fears that roam so freely through their minds.
no one should have to continually push aside their ever-present anxieties.

arriving at the familiarity of your home.
lounging in the comfort of your bed.
bundling yourself between the warmth of your blankets.
but in the comfort of all comforts, it’s the stillness that induces the most havoc.

these demons tell your heart to do the opposite of your brain’s instructions.
they command you to disobey all your core beliefs.
they encourage you to act on the thoughts you want nothing more than to extinguish.
they ruin you of all your hopes and all your dreams and cause you to question all that you are.

taking for granted a life of simplicity.
while every move might not always feel right, at least every step does not feel fake.
while each day might not bring sunshine, at least there isn’t darkness perpetually looming around the bend.
while life might not always offer rewards, at least your head isn’t swirling with obtrusive negative thoughts.

periods of solitude should be just that.
opportunities to extract yourself from the daily noise.
moments to get away from the miseries that attempt to drag you down.

it must feel hellacious to get stuck in your own head.
it must feel torturous not to be able to escape your own thoughts.
no one should have to fight away the fears that roam so freely through their minds.
no one should have to continually push aside their ever-present anxieties.

arriving at the familiarity of your home.
lounging in the comfort of your bed.
bundling yourself between the warmth of your blankets.
but in the comfort of all comforts, it’s the stillness that induces the most havoc.

these voices stream throughout your head, echoing, radiating, deafening you.
they encourage you to act in ways that you could never wish.
they fool you into thinking you are wrong and prevent you from leading a life of peace.
these intruders crash your faith and destroy your ambitions whenever it’s most convenient for them.

Schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Massive Depression, or a host of any other mental disorder that keeps you from doing the things you want to do.

Written in 2016

Copyright, The Poetry of Bryan Buser