I wrote this poem as part of a poetry competition, themed ,”destigmatizing conversations around mental health.” In the process of writing it, I realized that any conversation around mental health starts with a self-acknowledgment and acceptance that something is not right. This acknowledgment is crucial in determining how the story unfolds; it is often painful, and extremely difficult, but on the other side of it lies the chance of healing. This poem talks of that journey of self-acknowledgment, using a bridge as a metaphor. It revolves around a healthier version of a person calling upon the current version of the same person to take the journey, promising of a destination that is filled with hope.
Hey. It’s me,
The other version of you.
The version you want to get to,
The version you feel so distant from.
I’m on the other side,
Of this abyss of darkness, and misery,
This black hole you can’t see past,
I’m here, and I’m telling you,
There exists another side.
I’m you, and you’re me,
We’re the same,
The only difference between us is
This one thin bridge.
On one side of the bridge,
You stand, barely able to breathe,
Ready to give up and jump into
The ocean of death that lies beneath;
And on the other side, I stand,
I’m okay, and it feels better,
So I look out for you,
To plead to you this: don’t jump.
The bridge is shaking,
It’s swinging, and it is broken
In some places,
And you can’t see what
Lies ahead,
So you don’t know if you should
Get on it at all.
It must be a terrifying sight,
Because you are after all clinging
To this bridge to save your life.
I shout out to you,
Hear my voice,
Get on the bridge,
And don’t let go.
When you’re there, you’ll see
Everyone you love, waiting for you,
Reach out to them, hold their hands,
Let them guide you to this better end;
Tell them you’re scared,
Tell them you’re not okay,
That you haven’t really been okay;
Tell them you want to cross this bridge,
And they’ll help you each step of the way.
I know the thought of it is scary,
The thought of telling people
What you are going through;
The thought of telling them
That you can barely hold on,
But I am on the other side,
And I’m telling you that it will be okay.
Hey, it’s me. We’re the same,
The only difference between us,
Is that I talked out and brought to
Life my darkest fears,
And it guided me along the way.
You can do it too,
Because it’s okay;
I promise you, it is all okay.
