The Shell
Hellfire coiling inside
Note: Anxiety is such a horrible mental health disorder. You may look absolutely fine to outsiders, whilst you are slowly burning and fading in agony within. It kills all joy and drive to live, it burns creative output to ash, leaving only a trail of stones in the chest. And this is the problem, a chest made of stone is unable to connect, with oneself and the rest of the world. Sometimes one needs a helping hand, a single smile or glancethat tells us that everything will be ok.
“It shines under the sun,
reflecting, protecting the
world surrounding.
Peacefully rocked by
the sea and the wind,
the face of calm within
the inner storm,
a smooth and precious
mirror to sand and sky.
Its ephemeral beauty
outwardly unbothered
by the rough waters
of time and dust,
doesn’t reflect the roaring
currents inside -
Coiling around and around
with the explosive power
of a volcano suddenly
awoken from its slumber,
the shell contains worlds within,
each one leading into hellfire
and overdrive,
she can feel it in the veins
and the pits of her being,
a primal sound thumping
against the carcass,
building up towards the exit
never to make it out,
a cloudy day that won’t rain
nor break atmospheric pressure -
and when it does it will break
skin and bones and shatter
memories into a million pieces.
It — she, the shell, fights for
peace and a place in this
world, only to be faced with
agony at the end of connection,
the brutal punishment of
sheer anxiety after bliss,
never allowed joy without
pushbacks and shadows,
she watches as hope rushes
away again, leaving the grey
hollow of disgust and
self-deprecation after
glittering magic,
coiling around and
around
like crackling hellfire.”
***
Hello! I really hope that you enjoyed! 🌸 If you have, it would mean the world if you liked, highlighted and commented on this piece, or maybe you want to follow me for more awesome poetry and check out more of my work? 👀 @lonewolfanna is the handle 🐺
© 2024 Anna Quiroga. All rights reserved.
