A poem on postnatal depression

Every day I worry about the effects that my mental health has on my babies, so I thought I’d write my feelings down one day when I was really low.

I try to stay away from my kids when I’m in the grips of a down day, but this may be doing them more harm than good. Either way it’s something that I need to accept and work through.

For anyone reading this that feels anyway similar, please reach out.

It’s the best thing I ever did, I wasn’t judged, I wasn’t made to feel like a failure, please talk.

There’s nothing wrong

But something’s broken

Nothing happened

But still it’s woken

The darkness spreads

spills over the edges

In tears and gulps

And thoughts of ledges

Guilt and sorrow

A breaking heart

I should be strong

But i fell apart

You see my tears

And look confused

I try to hide

My heart that’s bruised

Then the breathing

Becomes too hard

Each wave of panic

Leaves me scarred

But nothings happened

Nothings broke

Yet here I am

Through sobs I choke

I’m sorry baby

Mummas here

She’s just hurting

She wants you near

But I’m scared it’s spreading

It reaches through

This darkness comes

But it can’t have you

So I’ll build a bridge

I’ll keep you safe

From this broken nothing

That wears my face.