"Manic Depression" by A. Craig Newman

Writer's Notes:
I entered this one into a contest. Didn't win, but it did get an honorable mention and was published.  My hope is that in reading this poem, the reader will have a glimpse into the challenge of living and coping with bipolar disorder. -ACN

At my left:
I am the bluster and bellow.
I am the blast and the bang.
I am the cyclone stir, a drunken twister.
I draw your laughter, wonder, and fear.

At my right:
 I am the silence and the stillness.
 I am the sadness and the stare.
I am the frozen pain, a glacial soul.
I draw your pity, confusion, and anger.

At my center:
I am a stranger to myself.
I am an outsider in my home.
I am only seen in fleeting glances.
I draw my wonder, confusion, and desire.

I live on the edges,

But I long to be centered,

Where I can be.
Just simply be.