Governed by a Two-Edged Knife

 

(There is an urgent need to raise awareness of mental health issues in the community. No longer can they be swept under the carpet out of sight and out of mind. I would normally present this first in the Mental Health Unit of the Like-Minders Society Theme Park. Something said post it on the WOL site now)

 

 

I'm governed by a two-edged knife

A demon – friend and foe

You ask how is this possible?

How can this be? How so?

 

My demon is bipolar

Mania (two-edged knife)

One edge is razor sharp for good

The other sharp for strife

 

My demon when it is a friend

Helps me to write, create

But when it rises up as foe

(I to the GP go)

 

My mind it works in strange-like ways

At times can't work it out?

Like in the last verse (humour flip)

Is this an insane route?

 

Don't worry two-edged poet

Your family, friends, GP

All help you stay on knife-edge good

All of them, yes, all three

 

So if you own a knife like me

You'll know just how it feels

I hope your medications work

And help your life to heal

 

PostScript

BIPOLAR DISORDER – Imbalance of chemicals in the brain. Born with it. No cure. Extreme mood swings. Controlled with medications. Often very creative. Spike Milligan, Robin Williams (suicide), Vincent Van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway (suicide), Virginia Woolf (suicide), Mariah Carey, Brian Wilson, Jimmi Hendrix, Stephen Fry “There are times when I'm doing QI and I'm going 'Ha ha, yeah, yeah' and inside I'm going 'I want to die, I...want...to...die”

 

Bipolars need just three things – understanding, accepting and supporting.

 

Don Matthews December 2019