I wonder what a quiet mind, full of light, would feel like; and if my memories could grow cold, or if you would turn hot, outside of the whispers in the shadows you have only ever known as home. Softly now, my darling. Darkness has withered the walls of this place, and it is heavy … Continue reading In Crimson Screams
I have God in my words and the devil in my ear, and a sister, who keeps telling me to find my magic. © Nicole Lyons 2017
Thank you to Feminine Collective for publishing Oblivion. It was written for a Creative Nonfiction challenge and it had to come in at under 1500 words, and it was by far one of my hardest writes to date, but I am extremely pleased with the end result. oblivion
The first time I heard those words, I wondered who was suffering more, backward, forward motion, dizzy, a diagnosis of confetti paper, a bedroom and a wall to draw on, chalk walls and demons to entertain, gagging out of mannequins mouths, choking me, choking them, one by one, pleasing me, pleasing them, I … Continue reading Branded From Birth – Robbie J. Sherrah
I am thrilled to be on Feminine Collective with one of my favourite pieces. If you've ever wondered what a manic mind feels like, take a peek but buckle up, it gets pretty bumpy inside my head. I have bipolar disorder and sometimes, well sometimes, I think I’m blessed because of it. Now I’m not … Continue reading My Manic Mind: The Ride of a Lifetime
You understand words like, empty, dry, and nothing but you’ll never know what hollow feels like because your mind will never take you under. It won’t swallow the smile from your daughter’s face before it ever reaches your eyes. You understand words like, full, vibrant, and ecstasy but you’ll never know what euphoria feels like … Continue reading of Maniacs and Manics
There's not a simple way to explain the process of this sickness disguised trick or treat surprise guessing game. No easy way to help you understand. But I can tell you; these fancy shoes have never felt good. They feel permanent. They feel like forever swirling around in quicksand turning to concrete. Stuck on a … Continue reading Fancy Shoes – Stephanie Bennett-Henry
It's amazing how much can be said, or not said, in six little words.
Harnessing The Madness Don't worry Hush, little mama Dry your acrid, bittersweet, woeful tears Don't you cry, pretty mama Your darling, happy, freckle-face baby is struggling, fevered, and deliriously HOT Oh, okay, go on then Go ahead and cry, little mama Cry those real, big-old-salty tears Enough to fill an ocean Squash … Continue reading Harnessing The Madness – Jacqueline Cioffa
I recently read an outstanding book that made the case FOR mental illness, rather than AGAINST it. Nassir Ghaemi, director of the Mood Disorders Programme at Tufts Medical Center, wrote, A First-Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness. Gandhi, President Kennedy, Winston Churchill, and Martin Luther King Jr., were examined from … Continue reading Crazy Diamonds – By Julie Anderson
Rhymes and Reasons
Sunshine on Razor Wire: perspectives from "inside"
presented by Kindra M. Austin
the maiden, mother and caffeinated crone
