Anonymous

Thank you for your comments and your concern about your brother. He is on heavy meds and probably can't think clearly because of that, not because of his bipolar, although it could be a combination of both. Perhaps his meds should be reviewed and he should be seen by an understanding therapist who'll help him to optimize his life, but I don't know the situation so can't really comment. I know when I was very ill everything related to me. That's normal for a very ill person as it's the brain that's dysfunctional in that case and therefore one's own brain is the focus, and how we think and feel. I'm very glad he has such an understanding sister and family, though, as that's important even though he might not show it. The poetry might touch him or it might not. I'm including a couple more poems I read to the Schizophrenia Association open house here recently.

I wish the very best for your brother. More later.

You who are Candy

You who are a delusion

I chased you through hallways of confectionary

Fast down the tanks of marshmallow crème

to chocolate covered daydreams far past

the bricks of sugar which implacably

you impersonated

all too well for my adolescent lust.

You knew that yet with candied orchids

poisoned sticks of mulberry still you

plied me with and then I

hallucinated and they told me

I was dangerous.

The Psychiatrist

She listens

while the sky rolls up like parchment

layers are revealed

hells and heavens tumble out

I wish I had a childhood

I could tell her.

The young warriors with their sex and drugs

cigarettes. They have the problem

Maybe they won't talk but we

Cradled in our hour she

Listens.