A Simple Rhyming Poem About Mental Health

Marie Marchand
2 min readSep 10, 2022
Photo by Sinitta Leunen on Unsplash

My mental health is taking a dive.
Everything I do is just me
trying to stay alive.

Like a lottery, I spin the
rainbow wheel of medication
and sit in hours of silent meditation.

I partake of nature walks
and friendship talks
to avoid the black hole of isolation
and gather some consolation.

I share openly with my therapist,
a life-line in this heavy mist.

Once I survive the changing tide
I’ll come out the other side
stronger, they say, with more perspective
a sense of belonging within the collective
because pain is the great equalizer
making hearts grow warmer and wiser.

I don’t know if I truly believe this.
Honestly, I’d rather be happy and oblivious.

This poem was published on World Suicide Prevention Day. Here are some resources to help keep everyone alive. Help and hope are out there.

Mental Health Resources

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — U.S. (24/7)
Call or text 988

Crisis Text Line (24/7)
741741

Samaritans Suicide Prevention Lifeline — UK & Ireland
Call 116 123

Veterans Crisis Line
1–800–273–8255 (press 1) or text 838255

Trevor Lifeline
1–866–488–7386 (24/7 for LGBTQ+ youth)

Substance Use Disorder Treatment
1–800–662-HELP (4357)

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
1–800–950–6264 (10am–6 pm ET)

The Stability Network
thestabilitynetwork.org

Marie Marchand

Poet Laureate of Ellensburg, WA. Author of Gifts to the Attentive from Winter Goose Publishing. mishiepoet.com @mishiepoet