Draining the Fog in Ink to Paper

I could start

With enhanced psychological definitions

“Depression is a state of mind

Caused by or causing low levels of serotonin

In the brain.

Comes in many forms

Only characterized by how intense it is

And how long it lasts…”

But I’m not going to start that way

I’m going to start with a testimony

Once upon a time

A girl woke up screaming

Not in fright but in pain

Not physical pain

But intense anxiety

She was dying

Or coming close

Or giving up

Who knew the difference?

No one looking

And she was too much in turmoil

To know

“What’s wrong darling?”

Leave me alone!

“Please tell me!”

Chest heaving—go!

“I can’t leave you like this!”

Screaming: GO!!

That woke her older sister

She calmly slipped from bed

Grabbed her second journal

And her favorite pen

With easy-flowing ink

She said nothing

When she came and joined her sister

She sat down beside her

Rubbing her still-heaving shoulders

They trembled and slowly fell still

Mother stood watching from the corner

She handed her her journal

And favorite pen

“Write it all away”

She whispered

She opened it

Her sister slowly grabbed the pen

Touched it to paper

Her sobs had ceased

The lines flowed easily

Scratching words into the beautiful lined paper

Though it was dark

The pen scratched faster and faster

Unseen by all but one mind

Who knew exactly what it was doing

And where it was going

Her shoulders heaved once more

Her breathing deepened and hastened

Her sister hugged her tight

And kissed her tear-streaked face

The pen stopped

As if the mind behind it was brought

Slamming back to reality

She returned the hug from her sister

She smiled as she fell

Back into her bed

Exhausted

“Thank you” she whispered

And was asleep within moments

Her sister rose

Taking the journal and pen

Led Mother out of the room

And silently shut the door

They both read what their sister wrote

Beautiful but terrible words

And their eyes filled with tears

Writing is a portal to the soul

Delivering the images in our mind

And impressing them on paper

Turmoiled thoughts

The mind cannot bear

Must be thrust out

Before they destroy

They build a fog in our brain

A deep, dense fog

So no one may see and understand

It blocks us from us

It destroys us from within

Writing it out in solidarity

An outlet for the fog

Drains it and channels it

To the paper

And like all fog

When it contacts cool dry air

It disappears