Descent To Ascent
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I found this poem very challenging to write, as it depicts the journey of a man who suffers from trauma-induced mental health issues, such as psychosis, delusions, dissociation, and madness. As an ongoing mental health counselor for many years, I empathize with my clients facing similar challenges. You may have noticed that the poem has a unique structure showing the contrast and symmetry between the man’s mental states. Whether you read the poem forward or backward, you will see a different story of either descent into madness or ascent into sanity. I attempted to create a sense of ambiguity and richness in the poem, showing the movements of mental states.
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……A lone survivor of a plane crash
A man of sound and reason,
standing tall and proud,
But a voice of lies and madness,
whispering words of doubt.
His mind a fortress sturdy,
no shadows in the crowd.
But a path of doom and darkness,
waiting to break out.
Delusions like a serpent,
coiling in his brain,
Paranoia like a venom,
oozing from his core.
Twisting truth and logic,
driving him insane.
The world a hostile army,
waging endless war.
Dissociation like a vise,
squeezing his soul tight,
A mirror of identity,
shattered into shards.
Lost within the maze,
his selfhood out of sight.
The pieces of his being,
scattered near and far.
Psychosis like a demon,
dancing in his mind,
The music of madness,
playing its eerie song.
Illusions like a spider,
weaving webs to bind.
As his grip on sanity,
was slowly being wronged.
Not working…..
He found a radio, a possible voice of hope and light.
…..Working
Then a change of course,
a turn of fate’s design,
A mind once plunged in madness,
now rising to the fight.
From blackness to brightness,
a force of hope divine.
An ascent from affliction,
a story of great might.
As his grip on sanity was
slowly being restored,
Illusions like a spider
weaving webs to break.
The music of madness
playing its final chord.
Psychosis like a demon
dancing in his wake.
The pieces of his being
scattered near and far,
Lost within the maze his
selfhood comes to light.
A mirror of identity
shattered into stars.
Dissociation like a vise
squeezing his soul bright.
The world a hostile army
waging endless peace.
Twisting truth and logic
driving him to sane.
Paranoia like a venom
oozing from his fleece.
Delusions like a serpent
coiling in his mane.
But a path of doom and darkness
waiting to fade out.
His mind a fortress sturdy
no shadows in the crowd.
But a voice of lies and madness
whispering words of doubt?
A man of sound and reason standing tall and proud?
A lone survivor of a plane crash……
Copyright © Daniel Henry Rodgers | Year Posted 2023
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