Today is National Poetry Day and to mark this event I have two poems for you – one by Judy Martin and one written by me as a sort of answer/conversation in poetry.
The theme this year is FREEDOM.
We’d be very happy if you wanted to join in. You are welcome to use my photo if it sparks a creative response. All I ask is that you leave the watermark on it and link back to this post.
The back story:
A friend of my daughter is a Counsellor and she has set up a Facebook Page dedicated to Self Care. She has invited me to contribute. She looks for Sparkles and invites us to find them in everyday places. This inspired me to go for a walk one morning looking for Sparkles to photograph – what a wonderfully uplifting focus for a walk.
Below is one of the photos I took. A very close friend of mine is going through a hideous bout of depression at the moment and this photo seemed like a metaphor, I took it to send to her. I know Judy Martin has been visited by the dark days of Depression as she has written about it, poignantly and beautifully, on her blog: Edwina’s Episodes. Time for us to team up again. Judy wrote this poem in response to my photo:
Sparkle in a Dark Corner
In the depths of darkness and despair
I feel so alone, like no-one is there
Surrounded by dangers unseen and unheard
Trapped and frightened, like a caged bird
Thoughts so jumbled, make no sense
But pain and heartache are so intense
From the world, I just want to hide
And keep my feelings bottled up inside
But wait, there is something that has caught my eye
It looks blurry through the tears I cry
Yes, it’s shimmering and shining bright
A distant glimmer, shaft of light
It seems so very far away
But I know I can draw closer day by day
From my dark corner there is hope
And support to help me cope
The light grows brighter every day
My world has gone from black to grey
I continue onwards, spirits rising
My soul had started re-energizing
I came through the other side
With just a sparkle as my guide.
poem by Judy E. Martin
of Edwinas Episodes
~
When I read this it brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. I too have experienced depression (many years ago) and so have members of my family, whilst musing on this, a poem started to write itself to go alongside Judy’s poem
Even Then
Even on the darkest days
Even in the darkest hours
Even in the deep dark corners
Where the sharpness causes pain
Even when the demons lurk
Even then
Even then
There is a sheen
A tiny gleam
A spark of light
Even then
poem by Sandra Dorey
~
It feels so good to find Freedom from Depression, but the memory of the demon never totally goes away.
If you find yourself responding to either picture or poem please feel free to share with us. It might be a poem, a story, a helpful saying, a photo or a picture. Sometimes it feels good to link up.
Happy National Poetry Day!
Ravelry
Wild Daffodil 
You must be logged in to post a comment.