Black Dog - a poem

[greenkazbar]

Black Dog

Life was so great, it was joyful and fun
Time spent basking, in the glimmering sun
A loving family and good friends a many
I had no worries, didn’t want for a penny

But life has now changed, it’s a misty grey fog
I’ve been told I’ve got, the dreaded ‘Black Dog’
What does that mean, I question of myself
My vitals are fine, in good physical health

This blasted Black Dog, which I cannot see
I hope it’s small fleas, keep clear of me
No whining, no barking, what’s this all about
I don’t see droppings or feel its wet snout

This Black Dog surrounds me, every waking day
I don’t feed the damned thing, yet it won’t run away
“Leave!” I command, of this vile shady dog
But it lingers over me, as I’m left in a fog

The Black Dog is made up, I hear them all say
Stop all this nonsense and get on with your day
They don’t understand, they don’t even try
While I’m feeling hollow, I slobber and cry

I don’t get it either, I'm stuck in this trap
This Black Dog that haunts me, but don’t even crop
I sob hopelessly, while my body does quiver
I’ve blubbered so much, I’ve cried me a river

I scream, “leave me Black Dog, I don’t want to play,
Leave now Black Dog and keep right away!”
So, how long will it stay, I really don’t know
But I’d feel much lighter, if the damned thing would go

[Guest_9809]

Hello GreenKazbar and welcome to the BB Forums where you will find many kind and supportive people who are all going through similar difficulties as yourself. Unfortunately too many of us here, totally understand what your poem is all about in their own battles against 'the black dog'.

Your poem is beautiful by the way, as only something coming straight from the heart and experienced personally can be. Do you do a lot of poetry? It is something I only started doing last year, and I am not at all good at it. But that doesnt really matter I guess. I do it to help take my mind off things when I need to, and I find that creative writing gets me quite engrossed. So it achieves a purpose.

If you would like to come back and tell us a bit more about yourself you may get a few more replys. I know many will read your poem and appreciate it, but they may not post a reply as they wont know what to say. You could start by telling us how long you've had depression, whether you are having any treatment for it and how successful that treatment has been. It would also be good if you let us know what you hope to achieve from your experience here on the BB Forums.

This is an anonymous and secure environment which is moderated to ensure our safety. So I hope you feel able to be open and honest in any of your posts.

The website also offers a lot of information about mental illness, so if you are interested please check out the resources below in the blue section.

We have a number of different forums here, so I would advise that you have a look through the sections that you have an interest in, eg Depression. If there are any threads that you would like to reply to, then please do so. Just hit the red 'reply' button. Members will appreciate any input you may have, and I know they will make you feel very welcome.

Additionally you may be interested in connecting with some of the other members here, in which case the BB Social Zone is a great place to start. There you will find threads which are essentially a bit of fun and games offering some respite from the 'heavier' stuff contained in the MH threads.

I'd love to see you around the many forums on offer here over the coming days. I think you have a lot to offer others, so I hope you stick around for a while. And in so doing you will be gaining information and support for yourself as well.

Taurus

[greenkazbar]

Good morning Taurus, thank you so much for welcoming me in such a manner. I am sorry for my slow response, I didn't know how the site worked and that you had written anything. Your response has really helped me with this and I'm sure it will help me to navigate the site a little easier.

I have been writing poetry and practicing my art for about 8 years now. It started off very slow and, initially, creating rhyme and rhythm were quite dodgy. If you like to write then I encourage you to be kind to yourself and continue to persist. Keep everything that you write, even the bad stuff. That way, as you become more experienced you can always go back to them and you may find that there is a good premise from them and they could inspire you to re-work it or use it as inspiration for a different poem.

As I'm new to the site, my presence will no doubt be random, but maybe I will become a more regular visitor. As someone who had been diagnosed with several mental health issues, I'm sure that there will be plenty here to read. Thanks Taurus, bye for now, K : )

[geoff]

hello Greenkazbar, I love your poem, you're very talented, and I do hope that we can see you on the forums whenever you feel like it, everybody is always welcome, thanks. Geoff.

[PrincessMilktea]

Please publish, this is simple and concise, making it a really beautiful read without all the superfluous purple prose a lot of poets use nowadays. As someone who doesn't read poetry, this one really had me captivated, I hope you're Black Dog becomes a friendly companion one day 😄

[Guest_128]

Thankyou