jonathan

depression is a lonely place
like a dilapidated shack in the middle of the woods
no neighbors to speak of
not a soul to be seen
just you
and the trees
their branches looking more and more like monsters each day

you try to run
try to scream

but you can't escape the house inside your mind

i wish you would've peered through the curtains
unlatched the window
and seen the sun shining in the sky
there's a house next door with smoke coming out the chimney
and one around the bend containing the smiling faces of your family

if you'd just look a little farther
you'd see

but i understand
it's hard to look very far while you're shackled to a chair
in the house inside your mind

doctors are for healing yet they couldn't heal you
diagnose
prescribe
repeat
but no matter what they did
you remained trapped
bound to your disease
with no end in sight

so you found the only escape route you could think of
free from your chains at last
but i wish you could've seen the sun shining in the sky
and seen the love radiating from your family's every pore
however
i know it's not that easy
shackles can't be broken with bare hands

still

i wish i could see you smile one more time.

but now you'll never feel the darkness again
say hi to grandma for me
and my sister
in the meantime
we'll live for you

i'll see you again someday

i know you'll be smiling

12.10.15