Diagnosis: Severe Paranoid Schizophrenia
Symptoms include
Delusions, hallucinations,
Disorganized speaking, disheveled appearance,
Suicidal thoughts
Involuntary heartbreak
The last symptom
Is my discovery
Circa 1988-- Your Date with Chris
Perhaps you forgot,
Or remembered not to forget
Your spiritual night
At a local fair
Chris tells me the story
Over your body,
seven years in that hole,
buried without a headstone
I hate my name-- Michael
Too common for my taste,
Too strong on my ear,
But he changes that for me
Credit to you, too.
You and him were one,
Arms interlocked and carefree
Passing a fortune teller
As they demanded their clairvoyance
Be heard by you both
Chris had to know,
"Would we be married?"
Light embellishes the oracle
Crystal ball reflecting their hands
Whirring, stirring, observing
I wonder if they were seeing us, talking,
Over your grave.
"No--
But your lives are destined
To be intertwined."
It's here that I scoffed,
How much did you pay them?
Chris' eyes were guarded
Sunglasses shielded the sincerity
But his cadence remained clear
An urge to scoff is interrupted
You are leaving,
This movie bored you two
Light intensifies around the crystal
Their hands sway in dismay
"You will have a Michael.
Keep them close,
They will be your guardian angel.
And he will never leave you."
2004-- Kindergarten Kid
Towering metal doors intercept
Hallways, walls of chipped paint
Its blue loud and abysmal
Begging to escape
There's refuge in the door's light
YOU ARE READING
Mom in Parts
PoetryA 'parts poem' about my mom, someone who unfortunately suffered with the worst form of schizophrenia. This is deeply personal, something that's hard to write about. Thank you for reading it.
