This is what mental illness
looks like:
Dearest, dysfunctional being,
here we go again—sinking, falling,
crashing, the floor beneath always
with the giving away.
Here we go again—dragging
ourselves to catch up with Life,
who–despite our heavy pants
and wails—simply goes on, moving
and moving. Life; sprinting, leaving.
And you? Us? With the soundless
screams and the concealed leaking
of eyes, begging Life to pause, lest
we lose ourselves. Again. Trying not
to die, yet dying at the same time.
Here we go again—with the inflated
sadness, pumping ourselves with tales
of joy, yet failing to land on safe ground.
You’ll be fine, they say. I’ll be fine, you say.
Whatever that means.
By Emmanuella Chisom James
Bio
Emmanuella Chisom James is a 19-year-old award winning writer who writes a lot better than she dances. She is a recipient of national awards such as the 2017 Writinggamesng by the University of Sussex England. Her children’s fiction Aminat the Rascal emerged runner up for the Imbube Creative Writing Awards. Her poem The Rise of the Orphans was longlisted for the Humanitarian poetry prize in 2018 and her satire based on the EndSars Protests last year appeared on We Arose Anthology. She loves to write essays, short stories and poems and is extremely passionate about using her gift to highlight and stir up conversations on societal issues.
Instagram : @chisoooooom
Twitter : @chisoooooom
LinkedIn: Emmanuella Chisom James