R.I.P

Wrap and prepare the body

Place the corpse inside the coffin

Hammer down each nail

Seal the contents with care

Sanctify two and a half feet wide by eight feet long and six feet deep

Bless the container and pray there will be no unholy resurrection

Lower the deceased into the hole

Shovel loose dirt on top of the container

Compress the soil

Speak your final words

Allow the past to rest in peace

Failure

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.

Booker T. Washington

I look down to see the ground as I fall
Failed attempts to reach my own success weigh me down
In my sorrow I am bound
Feeling hopeless and alone overwhelms me with regrets
All my thoughts are consumed by a self-critical analysis

Defeated, I wither into a more comfortable and secure, fetal position
Lost in the fog of despair I am blind to what I cannot see
Inside the haze are the keys to set me free
My head swims against the current of my self-contempt
The madness of misery has stopped my will to invent

Shadows creep at my side
Immaculately beautiful-eternal and infinite-blue eyes stare into my soul
An angel descended from the heavens; here to unify two halves whole
I am lifted out of grief by her wings
Every fiber of my being sings

She willingly helps carry my burden
I have lived for 10240 days
Yet, it was not until today I would admit the error of my ways
Through her eyes I gain profound clarity
I now see the love given unto me from friends and family

Eruption

We all deal with anxiety. I believe this is a psychological health issue that needs to be addressed by everyone. The rise in blood pressure that is accompanied by a shortness of breath causes so many of us to struggle with social situations, work, family, and many other aspects of our lives. Sadly, some of the situations extreme anxiety can have a negative impact on are not always stressful, nor are they difficult. Many times the onset of an anxiety attack can be a simple word from a loved one, or an innocent conversation you overhear on the bus. This can affect your entire day, and how you respond to others you may encounter.

 I have attended many sessions of therapy in order to deal with my own issues, and I will always return to the couch when my anxieties are too much for me to bare on my own. People have chosen to educate themselves on how to identify and heal the anxieties of your mind. Anyone who struggles with extreme anxiety who has not been able to help themselves, who feels the love and support given to them by friends and family is not enough, seek the advice and support of an educated and certified professional listener. Do not be afraid to admit you have been bothered by this affliction of the mind. Admit anxiety is an issue and seek help. The people in your life who truly do love and support you will support your decision. I know they support, and will continue to support me.

This poem is dedicated to all those who suffer from extreme anxiety. I wish you a healthier life.

A silent whisper echoes from the core

Seismic waves vibrate through each layer

Waves combine to create a harmonic tremor

Pressure increases in the asthenosphere

Earthquakes occur in the lithosphere

Temperature and pressure increase geothermal energy

Solid compounds become liquid magma in this natural laboratory

A solid mountain

Quiet and dormant

Inside builds a torment

Plate tectonics shift to form a subduction zone

Magma moves up the vents of the cinder cone

Violent eruptions rip and crack the crust

Fissures burst and lava flows rush

Down the slopes spill hot death

Ashen skies fall to suffocate the chest

Only minerals will pass this test

When the dust settles from the ejecta

What is left is a caldera

Shards of dacite, basalt, pumice, and obsidian

Volcanic rock and debris are what remain after such a violent reaction