Depression
Rebecca Williams
Poetry
Another bleak morning
Wife’s got the car
Watch a bit of TV
Such a lonely illness
Wife’s got the car
Watch a bit of TV
Such a lonely illness
Grass is getting longer
Weeds are taking over
Where’s my life force gone to?
Such a lonely illness
Son rang up today
Toddler’s growing fast
Told him I was fine
Such a lonely illness
Bridge night tonight
Honestly can’t face it
Hinted chest infection
Such a lonely illness
How do others cope?
Feel such a failure
Fuck knows why she stays
Such a lonely illness
Pheasants screaming upwards
Not a soul in sight
Finger on the trigger
Such a lonely illness
This patient struck me because he presented with a chest infection, then about 5 minutes into the consultation threw his head into his hands and sobbed violently. His vivid descriptions of a life with chronic depression, and how it permeated his every waking moment inspired this poem. The style is an attempt to recreate his staccato, minimalist delivery.
Whole Person Care – Year One
I found this to be a very powerful piece. The image illustrates the loneliness the man feels perfectly, as he stands in solitude staring out the window as if he may find a friend out there. The neutral, black and white tones could represent the numbness a person feels when depressed, like all the colour and energy has been sucked out their life. That is combined with the fact the image was taken at night, which could be representing the darkness someone with depression may feel.
I also enjoyed the poem. I liked how in the different verses, he mentions things that are happening in his life, some are good, some are bad, but this is irrelevant, as each verse ends with the same line “Such a lonely illness”. It makes it clear to me that depression is more than just a person who needs cheering up, it’s a real medical issue that if not tackled properly, could have disastrous effects. This is hinted at with the line at the end which reads “Finger on the trigger”, a chilling way to end the poem.