Poem about depression

Depression is like water.

Hollowing out the stone,

drop by drop.

Quietly.

Slowly.

By the time you realize something’s wrong,

you're neck-deep.

Soon, you become so used to it,

you can’t even tell when it started.

Its presence…lingering.

Every day of every week of every year.

And all this time,

you try to stay afloat.

Just like a swan-graceful,smooth sailing above

yet beneath the surface…

you’re desperately treading water.

But it must forever remain a secret.

So even when the pain is unbearable,

you still get up every day.

Put on perfectly ironed clothes.

Put on your shoes.

Put on that fake smile you’ve been practicing for ages.

And once you’re ready,

You walk out the door to put on your best performance

In the most bewildering of plays that is your life.

It unfolds right in front of you,

yet feels so distant at the same time.

But sometimes, you forget your lines

and the pain trickles through the cracks.

Even strangers in the street know how bad you’re hurting,

just from the look on your face.

They ask whether you’re okay,

but talking to people reminds you of how lonely you are.

So you smile and nod,

while on the inside- you’re screaming.

Life becomes high maintenance,

but you don't want to be

any more burdensome.

Because you already feel

like a waste of space.

Like people can barely tolerate

the fact that you’re using up oxygen.

So you try to prove your worth

by being the best.

Keep everyone happy.

Everyone, but you.

You can have good days, though.

Tiny sparks of light and joy.

Those glorious mornings when brushing your

hair doesn't feel like an insurmountable task.

But depression never really leaves you.

You're forever regretful of the past

and always anxious about the future.

You can't truly enjoy the good days

because you know that soon-

everything will turn black.

You still remember how

beautiful life is but every time depression hits,

It erases pleasant memories, bit by bit.

Scared of losing it all,

you finally summoned the courage to say

“You know what? No. I'm not okay.”

But people just blankly stare through you.

After all, your life has not completely fallen apart yet,

So why would anyone believe you're struggling?

And so … you

just continue your solitary journey down

a long pitch-black tunnel not knowing

whether you'll ever

see the light again.