A Manic Meditation on the Bipolar Blues

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As a manic-depressive, my manias would have the curious ability to bend, twist and warp my perception of reality and self to usually pathological and detrimental extremes that have easily landed me in a mental hospital more than once when I was a youth. Today, older and much wiser, I am medication-compliant and therefore stable where I can function and spend my time reading; ennobling and edifying my mind; and composing poetry (for my own enjoyment and self-therapy).

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…with unbounded energy tonight,

I eschew my med's until I can hear

the frightful voices trumpet in my ear,

now haunting me into…


By Ngoc Nguyen

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The Dark Lovers

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This is the poem I earned the moniker “Dark Dr. Seuss”

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…stood upon a hill two trees that closely intertwined and passersby that glanced upon felt darkness undefined. For on some nights laughing heard come down from that black hill and on some night it traveled here upon my window sill. It was then my mind tripped upon a vision the laughing told, of two dark lovers, their joy and pain, began itself unfold. 

Dark boy, dark girl, the story began, a love that time can't touch and in their story, their dark love grew, perhaps some much too…


By RayFed

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Picking Up Katie

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…much?” Angie asked her reflection in the rearview.  

She wiped the black mascara smudges from her cheeks, then grabbed a hair-tie and smoothed her tangled locks into a ponytail. She opened her car door, stroking her oversized shirt. Crumbs rained onto the concrete.  

At the daycare entrance, she tapped the code to enter, but the door remained locked. She tapped it again. Nothing. 

The girl at the desk walked to the door and opened it. 

“Thanks.” Angie stepped into the lobby. “You guys change your code?” 

The girl shrugged. “I’m new. It’s 2231.” 

“They must’ve changed it.” Angie leaned against…


By L.L. Asher

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Strategic

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…everyone else actually happy to be here with the fluorescent poison sliding down their hair follicles, pounding away at keyboards and dying a little more in each cubicle, each day? Look at Hammer; his fat face all squinched up as he lets loose with more of his stupid jokes. And oh sweet Christ on a biscuit! I’m going to start including every um and uh and belch from each junior associate and up.

Davis transcribes tapes. Currently he’s working at a somewhat sketchy law firm and is booting up to transcribe this morning’s sessions but first he just has to…


By Remington Write

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Not As She Dreamed

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Planning a honeymoon and life threw a curveball.

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…and Mrs. William Batts were finally taking their long delayed honeymoon trip. They were recipients of a Caribbean cruise as prize for opening a combined checking and savings account with Patriot’s National Bank.

Lisa planned on completing the novel she was writing...actually “thinking about” for two years. Bill just wanted to put his feet up, drink beer, and smoke his cigar. They joked it was time to consummate their marriage now that their four children were grown and not likely to interrupt.

The laptop and notebooks were stowed in the computer…

By Robert L. Scarry

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The Do Over

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…last mortal act was murder. 

Now, prowling the dark places, she wonders about karma and redemption. And what a really good pastrami sandwich would taste like. 

She was standing where she always stood on the platform, well away from the crowded spots by the stairs and turnstiles, reading. Let the rest of the cattle shove themselves into the middle cars. Even when she didn’t get a seat, she at least had some breathing room by coming down here to the end of the platform. 

Sometimes she gazed idly at the steps that led down into the tunnel and wondered about…


By Remington Write

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Borrowed Time - "My Sweetest What'll"

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…wish the rain would come down smooth and slow, instead it’s just these buckets of sorrow. I refuse to edit myself as my tears fall and I say goodbye. You know more than anyone what the enslavement of my “Baggage” left me with. As I left the hospital I struggled to breath and speak with nothing more than a backpack and a plane ticket. I tried to play cool and I tried to avoid being seen.

Believe it or not I was once innocent, full of life and love. We were in the beginning happy and full of romance. When…

By Michael Vegas Gialketsis

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Space

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A story about the last human A.I. battle cruiser Indomitable, referred to as 'Dom' by his crew.

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…battle mode Dom."

"Aye, aye, Captain.", I say and his eyes close at the last.

In the delirium of my battle screens I watched crimson rain of micro beams fall and cyan streaks of plasma cut through the air.

The flash of freshly burnt copper vaporized and accelerated to speeds of light hangs in a haze over my view.

I find myself unable to act for a micro second, caught in hideous beauty of war within a vacuum.

To believe I and…

By RayFed

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Lake Cabin Day

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Looking through the cabin windows, the lake gave me this visual.

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…on the water, winds drive waves upon the rocks

Brightly colored water toys swept off their spots on docks

Boats are safely brought ashore, secure away from shoals

Laundry in from clotheslines, among the stated goals

Tools that rest near projects, gathered up and put in sheds

Garden gloves collected from the bordered flower beds.

 

Though the sun is shining, in the distance still a haze

Local knowledge tells of how the wind could last for days

The far shore just a grey-green line that clouds are trying to…

By James Geehring

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How the Story Should Have Ended

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In the wake of the latest rounds of gun violence in America...

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…day of school

Third grade

Reading and math and playgrounds

The bus ride home

Playing in the yard until dark

Dinner with Mom and Dad

Tucked in with kisses at bedtime

Dreams of sunlit days and rainbows

That's how the story should have ended

But

Came and angry young man with a gun


Shopping at the mall

Afternoon respite

Picking clothes and toys and trinkets

A bassinet

The drive home

Painting the nursery

A quiet evening together

Choosing a name

Planning all your tomorrows

That's how the story…


By Mike Turner

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