Poem: Climbing Out of the Pit

This school year I've been participating in a writing institute with my school district. Once a month I meet with fellow teachers in my district to learn more about teaching the writing process. One of our assignments was to write a poem. To be quite honest I've always hated poetry. I never really understood it, but after the task of writing one of my own I can finally say that I get it. I wrote this poem about my struggle with depression. I have written about this before on this blog here. After having shared my story on this blog and reading the poem to my fellow colleagues during my writing institute, I have learned that so many people struggle with it at some point in their lives. I wish that our society weren't so judgmental about this illness. People are afraid to share this struggle in fear that they will be judged as weak. I know that for me during this dark time, I didn't really want to share how I was feeling with anyone. I thought that I should "have it all together", but I didn't and I didn't understand why. My time in the "pit" was very short lived, so I feel for those that have struggled with it their whole lives without receiving help. Anyway, enough rambling...

Climbing Out of the Pit

Long way down
Deep. Dark. Devastating.
Tear stained cheeks
Tears that make you collapse
Fall to your knees
Tears that make your breath stop
Falling into the pit
False smile pasted on my face.
Wishing. Wanting. Needing.
Something must change.
What will change?
Falling into the pit
Clouds in my head
Dark and devastating clouds
Clouds that make me lose myself
Memory lost
Swords in my stomach
Stabbing
Falling deeper into the pit
Praying. Waiting. Praying.
Praying for a change.
What will change?
Something will change.
Help will come.
I call on my Rock
He will answer me
He always does
Praying. Waiting. Praying.
Waiting.
In the darkness His strong arms
Reach into the pit
I climb into His arms.
His arms cradle me
They tell me it’s safe now
Climbing out of the pit
The devastating darkness grows light
The light warms my face
He is my light
The light for all the world
Something has changed
No more swords in my stomach
The clouds have disappeared
My tears have dried up
Prayers answered
Smiling. Laughing. Dancing.
Smiling that makes your face hurt.
Laughing that makes your belly hurt.
Dancing that makes your whole body hurt.
Climbing out of the pit.