Mental Health Awareness Week 2023

Poem Stellium is proud to announce its involvement in Mental Health Week and its Anxiety Theme Competition. The competition aims to raise awareness and promote discussion around anxiety, an issue that affects so many people today. We are excited to be part of this important initiative.

We understand the importance of mental health and the positive impact it can have on our lives. We were blown away by the caliber of entries we received and are thrilled to announce the winners. Their works beautifully capture the importance of prioritizing our mental health.

We invite you to read their pieces and join us in celebrating Mental Health Week 2023.

Monster On My Back

Written by Samantha Crilly

It sat on my back quite comfortably most days

Merrily playing along singing my praise

The taste of misery always kept it near

As it wined and dined lavishly on fear

I fed it for years, very generously so

It never had any motive to get up and go

Only when I gradually stopped feeding it

Did It then grow weaker and weaker, the less I needed it

Soon having nothing to stay for

That’s when it began to walk out of my door

The stronger I grew, the weaker it became

As it starved profusely on the lack of my pain

Light as a feather it soon blew away

It can fly by my window from day to day

But I will always tell it to be on it’s way

Flurry Of Feelings

Written by Abbi Sheen

Anxiety is more than just worry

It’s thoughts spiralling in a snow flurry

A busy mind filled with doubts

With no clear or simple route out

The what if thoughts constantly racing

Does anyone understand what I’m facing?

The flurries can turn into a big snow storm

Like my thoughts are trying to perform

Every thought is unique like a snowflake

My mind focusing in on every mistake

A fear of my plans changing

The physical symptoms appear raging

From shaky hands to a warm face

It feels like a cat and mouse game chase

As my body enters fight flight freeze mode

Anxiety is like navigating a snowy, slippery road

Thoughts unpredictable like bad weather

Completely at the end of my tether

I don’t feel courageous or strong

But I’ll tell you something, that is wrong

I am courageous, strong and brave

For living life with anxiety as my slave

One day I simply watched snow fall from the sky

Noticing and accepting my thoughts pass by

My thoughts are mental events that come and go

I am not stuck in the depths of the snow

I have learnt to take deep breaths in and out

To keep me mindful and calm throughout

I use my 5 senses and look around

To observe the white glistening on the ground

This helps me feel grounded in that moment alone

To conquer my fears of what is unknown

Every bad moment will come to an end

Write out your feelings or try calling a friend

Despite the spiralling thoughts in your head

Remember, there are always brighter days ahead

How Do You See Me?

Written by Syirin Said

I always question those around me

When they see me, who do they actually see

Is my smiley face enough to keep them wonder

If I am ok or do I always silently suffer

From not being able to show my true feelings

The feeling of anxiety that’s always crushing me

The pain I bear when I wake up in the morning

Or the tears I’ve shed all day in silence till the evening

How can the world be so blind

To assume that everyone is fine

When there is so much pain outside our doorstep

That at times makes me scream and wept

How I look at happiness and crave for it

To be fully content and not have any anxiety

Thinking my world will fall apart

Whenever I make a sound or as I depart

Here’s to all who won’t let me be

Will you ever stop judging my vulnerability

Can you be fair & kind to someone like me

Who is living everyday with anxiety?

Cushioned Sanity

Written by Alice Motta

Some days

I’ll fill up my schedule

And my shipping basket

To not think, not chat

To not have to do, either

Some days

I won’t give what I don’t have

As I promise to keep

Making that choice

And live my happily after

Some days I’ll set boundaries

By pretending to be crazy

Pretending not to get it

And retaining only

What builds me truly

Some days I’ll do the bare minimum

And be a functional friend

Worker and girlfriend

To cushion my sanity

And just not go mental

On Being Asked How I Am

Written by Megan Layley

No, the answer has not changed

From the last time or the time before that

My anxieties have not been rearranged

And I do not know where my feelings are at

I’m still numb from the situation at hand

Overwhelmed by the dealing of these cards

It difficult to exactly say where things stand

Or the final outcome of these hard fought yards

I could ramble on, nineteen to the dozen

However right now I’d like some much needed space

I close my eyes, there’s bread fresh from the oven

Now its just echo’s in his place

So remember before you ask “How are You today?”

All of this is difficult to repeat when I’m obviously not okay

In This Moment

Written by Andrea Crowther

I feel a sense unexplainable

The flitting compulsive intrusion

A necessary task inescapable

The notion drops into my stomach

The knowing dread begins

Consuming every breath

Controlling every movement

Without my permission

Fear rears it’s ugly head

Beguiled by invasive thoughts

Image after image repeated

The people and cars too many

Avoidance become my ally

Though it helps me none

Time slips away into oblivion

My nerves can’t sustain me

Panic overriding capability

I fail, it won

Black

Written by Louise Ophelia Jackson

Black is the colour of anxiety

Black id the colour of the sky

Rain clouds and upturned umbrellas, tears falling as strangers hurry by

Black is the thunder and the lightening, thumping to the chaos in my heart

Rain and tears are mingled as my life slowly falls apart

Black is the colour of anxiety

Black is the colour of the night

Hope is the antidote to darkness, hope is the stirring of the light

Me, Myself and My Anxiety

Written by Melissa McNab

You sit with me

All day, all night

I’m going crazy, my chest is tight

I feel so tense, I fear the worst

My heart is beating, it may just burst

My hands are trembling, I try not to panic

I cannot focus, I feel manic

The symptoms there are a variety

Me, myself and my anxiety

Hello Is That a Monster In Your head

Written by Mark Hodges

Hello is that a monster in your head

Now excuse my presumptuousness

Hang on a moment was it something that I said

Manic eyes do the shuffle and switch to Cobalt blue

Why look at me what’s it to do with you

Howling breeze stiffened my upper lip

I glance sideways maybe he thinks I’m hip

Why ask a question that could possibly lead to doubt

Shall I whisper a reply or make him jump and shout

My monster in my head is asleep so leave your assumptions at home

It’s not a dog who’ll wag his tail if you throw him a bone

Hey calm down its just a shadow across your eyes

I seen a glimpse of the horror that took me by surprise

Leave my demons they’re trying to gain control

Loss of concentration would surely lose my soul

You stand there and criticise you’re trying to make me sad

I fight with the light my darkness that likes to be so bad

So if you see my monster just relax and keep real calm

Try not to poke him in the eye and he’ll do you no harm

It’s a daily battle I’m swore to legion is his name

A thousand raging demons trying to make me insane

But I’ve got a trick that that works for me defiantly

I make him shrink into the void by reciting pure poetry.

Hope

Written by Graeme Little

I sat and I thought

About life and its course

The paths and the choices

Determined by forces

Of mind and of nature

Predetermined or fate

Is the future set or ours to make

I thought of the crossroads of decision I’d made

Silences broken

Feelings displayed

Wore my heart on my sleeve

Is this my disease

Always in my veins from birth to death

Is this who I am pumping in my chest

Battle scarred arms from despair I wear

Read between the lines to see how much I care

I thought about these things and tried to make some sense

Living past and futures in the present tense

I thought so hard replayed in slow motion fast forward and rewind

Yet I am still standing here opening my mind

My heart my soul my spirit bleeding words like tears sharing my fears

So now I’m bled dry no more pain left to spill

The lonely soul on the hill Is returning back down forsaking his crown

And hiding his frown donning the mask

That reflects back a smile

And pretends to be happy just once in a while