By One’s Own Hand

In Britain, in particular, thoughtless and sheep-like mobbing and group ostracism in schools, at work, online, cause a large proportion of suicide attempts. Pic.: my own

 

I‘ve met many
cut down in time, held back
before the tentative fall
successfully emptied
stemmed from emptying
damaged, patched and delivered
back to square one

I’ve read their notes, anecdotes
letters of goodbye, of resignation
scribbled obituaries, epitaphs
obsessions, confessions
listened to explanations
accusations
seen tears of regret
tears of joy from being a failure
failing

their anger
at parent, lover, partner, friend
at physician, admission
at being saved
at their proof of incompetence
at the saviour’s insufficient display
of dismay

I’ve seen what street drugs, party drugs
do to addicts, fanatics, to casual users
what pills do to mates, to reprobates,
to self-hate,
 to girls on dates, to domestic
and
 sexual abusers

I’ve seen what love, loss, loneliness
mobbing, aging, craving, visions of doom
incessant pain, hoping in vain
does to us all
to some, more so

For others
living the good life
was just too blasé
having had and done everything
wondering where not living would lead
envious, curious, furious
of/at what only the dead might know

A retired friend
medical expert in forensic explosives
had it easier
piecing together filtered bits
of disintegrated hate
DNA without humbled eyes or
outstretched hands
still clutching broken straw

 

 

Goth:2015

 

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supratik

speechless, i liked your pic; you obviously become quiet when you have volumes to say; grosso modo, we need to control our own lives, but what do we do when we give away the remote control to others, or to situations surrounding us, Goth, what do we do, it is not uncommon to see high-end achievers, losers (the so-called) destroying themselves in the same way, and if you wanted to reason it out, you’d find that the reason or the lack of it is the cause in someone else’s case; if I’m a loser is the reason for someone, ‘I’m… Read more »

supratik

Yes, I could fathom your engagement with its cause. I found the poem thought-provoking and relevant, hence had shared it on LinkedIn without taking your concurrence, sorry, but I believe a poem when released from the poet becomes a property of those who own it. Here’s the link.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/supratik-sen-8a46b8172_a-thought-provoking-poem-on-suicide-by-gothicman-activity-7030489706417070080-7V3M?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

Last edited 1 year ago by supratik
aurelio

Summary of all the worst problems of the welfare state, quite comprehensive in a poignantly documentary way. I applaud and commend Supratik’s sharing and forwarding it.