PTSD

by Alexandra Brown



Trapped by imagined arms from behind

Holding, squeezing

Life, withdrawing

Running

Without moving

Pulling

Fighting



Awareness

Seeing everything

Knowing everything

All corners, everyone around



Doctors

Psychiatrist

Therapist

Delving into what was

What happened

…to me…

Can’t talk about it

Too painful



Labels

Hyper vigilance

Post

Traumatic

Stress, stress, stress

Shrinking

Who am I

What am I

Why am I



Friendship lost

All friends lost

Pain

Revealing, admitting, realizing

The path through

Is the path of seeing

Not turning away



Reaching out

Tentative steps forward

Hearing the words

That help

Of compassion

Pain, but different

Cleansing, releasing

Healing, finding my heart

Seeing your heart

We are together, understanding

Art, writing, words of freedom

Hope



Love? Yes, even that

Wholeness,

Grabbing ahold of therapy for all it’s worth

Grabbing ahold of friendships

Support

Reaching out… I can help

I am here, I understand

Being the strong one

Pulling off the arms that bind you

We are one, we are the same



Liberation