Anandi Gunda

Sinking Ship 

Branded a maniac, I am not “normal”, 
Parents usher kids away from me, 
Erratic, she is a walking time bomb, 
Depression is made up, not a problem, 
A hymn ringing in my head “you can’t recover”, 
I self-built a dungeon and locked myself up,
I’ve put on a facade for attention it’s an illusion,

Constant tensions at home, couldn’t be mended, 
Since dad left, it feels like I’m on a sinking ship, 
No goodnight kisses because the day is dark, 
Attempts to shut the bitter sweet memories fail, 
They flood my brain, my heart wails in agony, 
Life isn’t colorful anymore, days are monotonous, 
Anger is my companion on the ship I didn’t want to board, 

I’ve found a lifeboat, a peaceful island welcomes me, 
My counselor is sailing the lifeboat, a guide I needed, 
I’m rowing the boat to reach the island as well, 
Slowly I’m feeling grateful to what I have, forget loss
A 110% effort in whatever I do, I can see the coast,
Working with my teammate to get to the shore soon, 
Therapy is making me more “normal” says mom, 

“Normal” I am for what I have been through, 
The passengers on the ship made it harder to escape,
Society branded my life as hopeless Titanic, 
They didn’t realize that they were the iceberg blocking my way, 
Part of the reason the floodgates in my brain open is them, 
No one ever bothered to provide a life jacket at least, 
All of them are wrong; the coast is near but far; there is recovery