Best Poems Written by Ciara O'byrne

The house with no lights

One,
Two,
Three,
Four...
Shadows crawl in hope of escape.
Five,
Six—
Interrupting thoughts and fear demand attention.
“Hello, I'm here.”
The mind cowardly answers the call.

Life unhinges — unlocking the greed of depression.
The door opens, welcoming the darkness into the house with no lights.
Allowing the destruction to flood centre stage.
No spotlight needed.

He's strong, surrounded by the blackness.
He's seen. He's heard. He's felt—
He's home.

His cravings satisfied as he feeds on the vulnerability,
The instability that’s nested in these walls for so long.

Laughing at the echoes of loneliness,
He unleashes the pain that was suffocating behind a smile-shaped mask.
The pain that was locked away for a reason.
The pain he knew would not say no.

His easy target.
His prey.

Hugging one another, depression smirks and leads the way,
Knowing he’s conquered the land of the house with no lights.

He settles in. It’s his house now.

There is no more counting.
There are no more shadows.

It’s quiet,
Dark,
Finally home.

Copyright © Ciara O'Byrne | Year Posted 2025