Ink Empress Poet Dramatic Monologue

Notes About The Poem

Written for the " scorpion, owl, serpentine" contest sponsored by Sara Jama,

this is written from the perspective of an individual going through psychosis, having seen it closely, seeing how the world can sometimes stigmatized these mental health issues, I wanted to once again, touch this subject.

Psychosis is a mental health condition, in which the individual goes through delusions, hallucinations, paranoia etc, and often requires right medication just like every other illness.. 

 

Dawn of Delirium

Freedom ~ an inked kingdom
of macabre mirrors,
a vermiform lie
veiling the vehement suffering
amidst serpent estuaries,
surging within strangled skin,
as if I am the living sin,
jinxed by the crawling creatures
in the lamented labyrinth
of deceitful dreams,
inhaling venomous vapors
rising from the cursed creeks
that failed to caress
the brittle bones of delirious dawn,
where the nocturnal owl
sits, phasing stellar phantoms
on tattered twigs,
oblivious to the piercing pain I breathe,
as poetry feels like
    a somatic hallucination,
    a reflection of the phoenix crescent,
    a dialect the naive can never comprehend,
the voice of truth,
the jaded outline of mortality,
     can never interpret~
as the last sacred light of twilight
r e m a i n s
unmarked and lost to the Earth.

O wicked wind beneath
the crestfallen wings
of cruising constellations,
will this piece of paper save me
from the maleficent violets
in the spitfire blaze
of stigmatized stars?
I am stuck ~ hell-bound,
troubled placing my
tongue on Freyja’s chalice of tears,
   for   I feel oblivion closer than death,
          I taste the flames of Tartarus,
          I dance with demons,
          I sing to the malevolent moon,
          I see in distorted dimensions.

But would the ignorant know
I hear beyond what’s spoken,
in search of Eden and love?
I give gratitude to your God,
but the veiled care not~
this is beyond the making
of a self-forged inferno.
I am the harbinger of harmony,
my soul aches
to paint your scarlet spheres
in butterfly bliss,
   praying in secret
that the deviant daggers in my spine
would blossom into russet roses,
their petals ~ like an elixir
to my paranoid psyche,
   paralyzed in the
        catacomb chaos of insanity,
as the scorpion Sun
    k i s s e s 
          me one more time
                      with sweetened poison.

While you,
the spectators of this twisted spectacle,
condemn my insomniac aura
   to stain the essence of my existence
with condescending colors,
         unaware that
         introspection is a powerful weapon~
all blood is blue,
          and we breathe hypocrisy
                 scrutinizing the unknown....

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Susan Ashley April 13, 2025 at 8:57 AM Dear Ink, soulful poet, your unique poetic perspective is ever impressive with your use of powerful symbolism, imagery and metaphors that brings the angst of psychosis in to focus. Your use of the prompt was ingenious and emphasizes an important mental health issue. Your poetic artistry and empathic intellect shines in this deep, dark, amazing piece. Congratulations for your trophy win in Sara's contest. Warmest wishes my dear poet friend.. ~Susan

Andrea Dietrich April 11, 2025 at 6:31 PM soupmail

Maria Williams April 11, 2025 at 3:46 AM Dearest Inky, back with a huge congratulations. So well deserved...Love and Light

Valsa George April 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM Dear Empress, each time I see a trophy against your poem, I feel quite excited as I believe, you are rightly recognized for your talent. So proud of you and a huge congratulation. Please excuse me, I am too busy at the home front. That's why, I don't read poems or respond to comments in time. Actually I had commented on this poem earlier without reading your notes. Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 10:54 PM Dear sweet valsa; just know that i appreciate everytime you visit and i know when you dont you must be busy! I am so grateful for your support from the start and you celebrating my wins always shows what a beautiful soul you are! Sending you light always

Paige Hind April 10, 2025 at 2:43 PM This is deep, deep stuff, Ink. Wow. :) Congrats on your win! Lots of power... Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 10:53 PM Iv missed you! Hope u are well! Im also a bit occupied as having some health issues but i will visit your page soon: sending you light always beautiful soul

Karen Jones April 10, 2025 at 10:51 AM Back to say congratulations on your much deserved first place win!!! Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 10:52 PM Thank you always for being so kind and supportive dear beautiful soul! I appreciate you so very much! Truly

Lin Lane April 10, 2025 at 10:08 AM Congratulations on your win, Ink. I hope you only have to deal with "crawling creatures in the lamented labyrinth of deceitful dreams." Maybe singing to the malevolent moon will keep them away. Lovely writing, as you always manage to tie your lines together with a measure of lacy words. ;-) Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 10:44 PM Thank you so much dear linnersz, its always so heart warming to see those that celebrate each other n lift each other up, in times of wins and loss and you just supported me in my win. So kind of you! I will always appreciate that! Thank you for coming back and commenting again on this with such a beautiful congratulation comment. Grateful truly

Sara Jama April 10, 2025 at 8:41 AM Congratulations on your placement in my contest. "I feel oblivion closer than death, I taste the flames of Tartarus, I dance with demons, I sing to the malevolent moon, I see in distorted dimensions" are absolutely amazing lines on the feeling of psychosis. The feeling of your own mind being your own worst enemy. You unique take on the prompt was brilliant. Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 9:21 AM Ah thank you so much for the trophy win, this time im grateful and i appreciate it wholeheartedly, as its on an important subject and one close to my heart, and i hope many thats been through similar experiences would feel less alone. I love your prompts and i love your choice of winners! And your comments are always chocolate worthy, as they are rare and definitely like rose gold haha! Thank u again grumpy

Terry Miller April 10, 2025 at 6:29 AM What a magnificent piece, I cannot add to what all the other comments have said, just agree, congratulations Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 7:59 AM Thank you so much dear terry always for being kind

Andrea Dietrich April 9, 2025 at 11:48 PM I knew this would take the trophy. Big congrats to you.widb I had time to read poems. But it's so late now. Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 7:59 AM You are so sweet sweet andrea. Same i need to catch up on soup soon

Michelle Dosanjh-Johal April 9, 2025 at 9:33 PM We breathe hypocrisy scrutinizing the unknown... Indeed... So many powerful words and incredible insights and wisdom. Only those who have been touched by psychosis can truly understand the overwhelming nature of this world... And you have done justice and more. Bravo my friend Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 7:58 AM Thank you dear michelle, my warrior poetess, so happy to have you here in comments, and yes you are so right, unfortunately , i appreciate you always supporting me so selflessly and sincerely! You are the best! So good to wake up to your comment and voice note, sending you light always

Nette Onclaud April 9, 2025 at 9:21 PM gripping expression of what deeply, truly lies in one's mind...congrats on your win, ink! incredible use of imagism, metaphors... Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 7:57 AM Thank you so very much truly talented soul

Duke Beaufort April 9, 2025 at 1:39 PM IE, you describe psychosis with passion and care. Yes, we can treat this form of illness. It's costly to do it right, and there are not a large inventory of truly smart individuals to deal with the many cases who have found their way to the streets in the USA. I think our priorities are leading us to ruin. If it were up to me, we'd see much better care and treatment available for the mentally ill. That is a war worth fighting for goodness sake. Ink Empress April 10, 2025 at 7:56 AM Thank you for your so many thoughtful and kind comments dear duke, i really do appreciate how you leave comments, and how you always feel the essence of words. Grateful always

Andrea Dietrich April 9, 2025 at 6:34 AM You thought so deeply to give such an interesting perspective to the theme , Ink. I saw everything but the scorpion in here. You very smartly worked the owl and serpent into it with all your other clever phrasings. I just don't know how you are able to write this style so prolifically. Soupmail for you Ink Empress April 9, 2025 at 6:38 AM Scorpion is there too sweet andrea! Aww means alot receiving such feedback from experienced poets like u! Waiting for ur soupmail

Maria Williams April 9, 2025 at 3:12 AM Dearest Inky,this is such a powerful and deeply evocative poem. The way you express the weight of emotional and psychological struggle is both haunting and beautiful. Your imagery captures the chaos of inner torment while also hinting at resilience and a longing for peace. It’s not just poetry—it’s a brave reflection of a mind navigating pain with raw honesty and artistic grace. Truly moving. I hope you're doing ok, I've been a bit busy but catching up today on a few poets work. Love and Light always...Hugs Maria Williams April 9, 2025 at 7:15 AM Great Minds think alike . lol Ink Empress April 9, 2025 at 5:44 AM Ah there you ding me on whatsapp before i could respond or msg haha Ink Empress April 9, 2025 at 5:43 AM Dear beautiful soul maria, im doing ok, i hope you are too, i was just thinking of messaging you today! Miss you! So happy to see you here in comments truly

William HAYNES April 9, 2025 at 1:40 AM A dialect line hit me/ i have seen shrinks since i was a teenager/paranoid schizoid, bi-polar they all had their guesses. None. Of them come close to the truth. Ink Empress April 9, 2025 at 7:08 AM Im so sorry youv been through all that, being misdiagnosed can be so challenging and difficult. Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us all

Karen Jones April 9, 2025 at 1:09 AM As one who has been diagnosed as bipolar and with other afflictions I deal with stigmas but the worst one is self inflicted. I love your heart so big as to embrace this with words like, “O wicked wind beneath the crestfallen wings of cruising constellations, will this piece of paper save me from the maleficent violets in the spitfire blaze of stigmatized stars? Wow. My words are not accurate enough to describe the beauty and grace that you possess share within your work! Fav and love this Ink Empress April 9, 2025 at 7:11 AM Dear Karen, yes the society is so judgmental but theres so many that understand mental health challenges too, you are an amazing and talented soul, so kind and supportive, and im grateful to have met you here. Thank you so much for sharing a little so sincerely about your experience too, and i appreciate also your fave truly. Always sending you light

Valsa George April 8, 2025 at 10:40 PM "amidst serpent estuaries, surging within strangled skin, as if I am the living sin, jinxed by the crawling creatures in the lamented labyrinth" Dear Empress, you have carried the topic to such stellar levels. I thought of entering this contest, but I can think of the scorpion as the venomous thing that stings, the snake, as the crawling and coiling thing with fangs and the owl as the nocturnal bird that preys. To what metaphoric level you have raised your poem. Phrases like' self forged inferno, paranoid psyche, catacomb chaos of insanity' are so powerful and points to your mental state, because you are kissed not in sweet love but with sweetened poison. However you wish to forgive and come out of this state of mind....."I am the harbinger of harmony, my soul aches to paint your scarlet spheres in butterfly bliss" Amazing poem. All the Best dear friend.

James Marshall Goff April 8, 2025 at 5:02 PM My brain danced reading this Ink E! Great enjoyment thanks!

Tom Cunningham April 8, 2025 at 1:21 PM Just because people don't have a bandage on does mean that they are not suffering mental illness of some kind, sadly years ago they were put in an asylum and forgotten about. Thankfully there's help out there now but only if those suffering want it, you described it so well IE. Tom

Lioness Onpaper April 8, 2025 at 12:04 PM vermiform lie veiling the vehement suffering amidst serpent estuaries, oooo come through alliterations!!! jinxed by the crawling creatures in the lamented labyrinth of deceitful dreams,.. mmmm live a good creature moment … brittle bones of delirious dawn, oblivious to the piercing pain I breathe, the heaviness in this piece is absolutely stunning! this is beyond the making of a self-forged inferno… ooo the intensity!!!! Love the imagery.. deviant daggers in my spine would blossom into russet roses,. Dayum!!! Love pairing or softness and depth in this!!! This piece is an absolute beauty papii…

Lin Lane April 8, 2025 at 12:02 PM Well, my dear, Ink. You certainly went from not knowing what to write for Sara's contest to plugging in to sub surface channels of seeing, tasting, dancing, singing, seeing AND expressing those emotions in so many lines of your Monologue. Dramatic it is and if that's what happens when kissed by the scorpion sun, I have been forewarned to keep my distance. Seriously, in depth focusing, Ink.

Robert James Liguori April 8, 2025 at 11:57 AM If I could only have an ounce of your poetic magic, I’d be a greater person. You have touched on the struggles of an illness so well. Very powerful write.

The Aura Rhymes April 8, 2025 at 11:48 AM Well said! When I went through whah I went through , I spoke to the moon . So I could relate to it . Ink Empress April 8, 2025 at 12:10 PM Dahlin! You are one amazing fighter! I love you