Free-Your-Mind's Creative Bank
Free Your Mind is a mental health stigma campaign which wants to highlight the link between creativeness and mental illness, as well as using creativity to open minds to mental health disorders.
On this page you will find examples of creativeness which is related to mental health in some way. This includes mine and others' work. This section will grow over time, and FYM happily welcomes artistic contributions (send contributions to freeyourmindcampaign@gmail.com and you will be credited, as well as being given a huge thank you!). In the meantime... Enjoy!
POETRY
My
feelings run deep
and it hurts like tiny cuts.
*NEW* - Added March 2012
Below: Poetry submitted to FYM from
'Spizzie 69'
'Spizzie 69'
Past
the Expiry
The Darkness deepens as the pointless Plot thickens And the Black Clouds Weep at the memories of the past.
They have now just become shadows that fade into the nothingness of time
The once effective have became the rejected and now put aside to become The forgotten
Like the autumn leaf that now falls to the ground with its use expired
to be absorbed back into the soil and become the muddy foot print of something that once was!
Or as easily disposed of as the discarded waste from the night before!
So as the sunsets for the long night ahead, often wondering if there will be a dawn?
No new Day? No new Hopes? No new Dreams? No Life? No existence?
Best Before!....... Sell by! ..........Use by! .........Warranty invalid!........ Sold as seen....Dispose of carefully.....and Please DO NOT RECYCLE!!!
The Darkness deepens as the pointless Plot thickens And the Black Clouds Weep at the memories of the past.
They have now just become shadows that fade into the nothingness of time
The once effective have became the rejected and now put aside to become The forgotten
Like the autumn leaf that now falls to the ground with its use expired
to be absorbed back into the soil and become the muddy foot print of something that once was!
Or as easily disposed of as the discarded waste from the night before!
So as the sunsets for the long night ahead, often wondering if there will be a dawn?
No new Day? No new Hopes? No new Dreams? No Life? No existence?
Best Before!....... Sell by! ..........Use by! .........Warranty invalid!........ Sold as seen....Dispose of carefully.....and Please DO NOT RECYCLE!!!
*NEW* Added March 2012
Below: The following is a selection of my poems which were originally posted to my Myspace blog in May 2010 and April 2009
Sonnet
Falling in love is a common affair;
a task arranged to be an ultimate end
to the loneliness that I bear.
I want more than just a one-night stand;
I’m looking for someone I can depend
on, and someone who is willing to care.
I want someone who will always be there.
To never know love just doesn’t seem fair.
They talk about love in songs and losing
your heart to the one they promised would come.
But, no knight in shining armour ever comes
to rescue me from life’s knocks and bruising.
So, I remain alone, my heart intact,
not knowing if love is fiction or fact.
a task arranged to be an ultimate end
to the loneliness that I bear.
I want more than just a one-night stand;
I’m looking for someone I can depend
on, and someone who is willing to care.
I want someone who will always be there.
To never know love just doesn’t seem fair.
They talk about love in songs and losing
your heart to the one they promised would come.
But, no knight in shining armour ever comes
to rescue me from life’s knocks and bruising.
So, I remain alone, my heart intact,
not knowing if love is fiction or fact.
Lies
Deep
in the darkest part of her soul
is where her lover lies.
is where her lover lies.
On
the other side of the river,
as far away from home as allowed,
she lives a double life
which will bring her trouble and strife.
But her heart tells her it’s alright.
as far away from home as allowed,
she lives a double life
which will bring her trouble and strife.
But her heart tells her it’s alright.
She
has hidden her fear
that her lover will find out
she is another man’s wife.
that her lover will find out
she is another man’s wife.
Love
Hurts
With
all the will in the world I push him aside
until he is nothing
but a distant memory;
until the pain he caused is fleeting.
No more will I be needing him.
From here on out,
it’s me, myself and I.
No more heartache,
no more crying
with him I made a mistake.
From here on out
I’m alone.
until he is nothing
but a distant memory;
until the pain he caused is fleeting.
No more will I be needing him.
From here on out,
it’s me, myself and I.
No more heartache,
no more crying
with him I made a mistake.
From here on out
I’m alone.
How I missed this painless bliss!
Lonely Woman
Whisky in hand,
in a dark, dingy bar.
It’s late and the bar is almost empty,
but the woman is unaware of the time
and even her
surroundings.
Only the no-smoking sign is apparent.
She downs her drink and rises from her stool.
Outside in the cold
she lifts a cigarette stick to her lips;
she inhales
and wonders what happier women do.
She exhales.
Time to call a cab; these streets aren’t safe for a lonely woman.
in a dark, dingy bar.
It’s late and the bar is almost empty,
but the woman is unaware of the time
and even her
surroundings.
Only the no-smoking sign is apparent.
She downs her drink and rises from her stool.
Outside in the cold
she lifts a cigarette stick to her lips;
she inhales
and wonders what happier women do.
She exhales.
Time to call a cab; these streets aren’t safe for a lonely woman.
The
Lonely Pupil
Troubled
teenager, crouched in the corner
Shrouded in darkness, hair all a mess
Tear-stained face, lip split open
Covered in purple bruises.
The bell rings, and the student gathers her books,
Composes herself
Thinking how to explain away the damage
As the lonely pupil heads to her next class.
Shrouded in darkness, hair all a mess
Tear-stained face, lip split open
Covered in purple bruises.
The bell rings, and the student gathers her books,
Composes herself
Thinking how to explain away the damage
As the lonely pupil heads to her next class.
Do
You See Me?
Do
you notice I’m here?
Do you realize how I feel?
Do you realize how I feel?
You’re
oblivious
and it’s killing me.
and it’s killing me.
Do
you see me?
Do you even notice I’m standing right here?
Do you even notice I’m standing right here?
My
feelings run deepand it hurts like tiny cuts.
Do
you know I exist?
Do you even know I’m there?
Do you even know I’m there?
My
feelings for you
are like a cyst on my broken heart.
are like a cyst on my broken heart.
Will
you ever notice me?
And how I can’t resist your tempting looks?
And how I can’t resist your tempting looks?
Science
Fiction
What
wouldn’t I give to travel with Kirk and Spock
and boldly go
where no man has gone before.
Or run with the Doctor where nothings ever slow.
To enter the TARDIS and claim
“It’s bigger inside” before we go.
I’d leave this life and runaway.
and boldly go
where no man has gone before.
Or run with the Doctor where nothings ever slow.
To enter the TARDIS and claim
“It’s bigger inside” before we go.
I’d leave this life and runaway.
Perhaps, if it were all real,
I wouldn’t plan this to be my final day.
I wouldn’t plan this to be my final day.
The End
The point-of-no-return
is getting closer.
Turning back
all I see is darkness
and the people I’ve left behind
is getting closer.
Turning back
all I see is darkness
and the people I’ve left behind
Walking forward
I pick up my pace
making my heart race.
Unsure of what I’m heading toward
but I’m resilient and know I must carry on.
I pick up my pace
making my heart race.
Unsure of what I’m heading toward
but I’m resilient and know I must carry on.
As I get closer
the light becomes brighter.
I’m scared of what lies ahead,
this path is unknown to me
and anyone who walks it.
the light becomes brighter.
I’m scared of what lies ahead,
this path is unknown to me
and anyone who walks it.
I’m almost there now.
My breathing slows,
it becomes hard to think,
and my heart beats its final beat.
This is my stop. The end of the line.
My breathing slows,
it becomes hard to think,
and my heart beats its final beat.
This is my stop. The end of the line.
Public Transport
A curse on public transport
which bears the stench
of greasy takeaways;
and a curse on their sticky floor,
which invokes a sound like Velcro as you cross it to your seat.
which bears the stench
of greasy takeaways;
and a curse on their sticky floor,
which invokes a sound like Velcro as you cross it to your seat.
A curse on public transport
for being unreliable,
leaving me the commuter,
to stand out in the drizzle.
for being unreliable,
leaving me the commuter,
to stand out in the drizzle.
A curse on public transport
for being a stifling oven
in the summer,
and then below freezing in the winter.
for being a stifling oven
in the summer,
and then below freezing in the winter.
But a final blessing on public
transport
for without you I could not travel.....
for without you I could not travel.....
On a bus
Looking out of a window
scenes rush by
- a woman drops her shopping –
scenes rush by
- a woman drops her shopping –
on the bus a baby cries.
Added: May 2011
Song of a Psychiatric Survivor
They want to have control.
They want to always maintain the power.
From the moment I was born,
Right up until my final hour.
I've been beaten, I've been raped;
At times it feels as though I am lucky to be alive.
But in the words of Gloria Gaynor
I know 'I will survive.'
Added: Feb. 2011
The following poetry was written by me Nicola E., whilst staying in hospital, at a time when I felt I was being treated unfairly by the staff. I remember feeling angry, and these poems encapsulate my thoughts and feelings during this period.
This doesn’t make any sense,
Why are they still shouting at me?
Their anger is unclear
And their motives seem strange
Why are they still shouting at me?
Their anger is unclear
And their motives seem strange
My vision is blurred
As I look through stormy eyes
As I look through stormy eyes
There is no doubt I’ve done nothing wrong
And in my heart I know they’re afraid.
And in my heart I know they’re afraid.
They want to make me feel ashamed
And deny our similarities
But right now I feel as if I’m gazing at their souls.
Whilst they continue to stare straight through me.
And deny our similarities
But right now I feel as if I’m gazing at their souls.
Whilst they continue to stare straight through me.
My skin is thicker than it looks
My pride is hard to infiltrate
My pride is hard to infiltrate
My body and mind are tired
My fight and will remain strong
My fight and will remain strong
My defences are raised
As they declare war.
As they declare war.
There is no doubt
That they will batter me to the ground.
But at the core I shall remain
Undefeated.
That they will batter me to the ground.
But at the core I shall remain
Undefeated.
My Mind
My mind is right
My mind may be wrong
My mind is frazzled
and my thoughts are long.
My mind is pretty messy
My mind is hard to tidy
My mind is described as crazy
and my thoughts are pretty hazy.
My mind is me
My mind cannot be changed
My mind breaks down
and my thoughts are rearranged.
My mind is trapped
My mind wants to be free
My mind engages my mouth
and my thoughts tend to flee.
Crazy
Don't call me crazy
for I'm not mad,
these words mean nothing to me.
Cruel ignorance
displayed by fools
whose judgement means nothing to me.
'Psycho person'
'Mental freak'
'Crazy' means nothing to me.
Who are you to judge
my mental state?
Your opinions mean nothing to me.
You might hear me scream.
You might see me cry.
Tears mean nothing to me.
Don't call me crazy,
for I don't judge you!
Your words mean nothing to me.
Anger
Burning red
my anger bubbles
inside my loins
stirring
a tirade of screaming.
So loud. I cannot hear
the calm I've
surrounded
myself with.
So angry
leaving me
almost deaf,
unable to breathe.
Surrounding me
with red noise,
red water,
red boiling blood;
cold to the skin
trickling
downwards.
Burning red
my anger boils.
Obviously Different
I'm obviously different
from person A
and person B.
But don't get me wrong
it's not my mental disorder that makes me be;
because that is just a small fraction
of what makes my personality.
They locked me up because
my mind was going crazed,
apparently.
Upon one look
they said I'm obviously different
and threw away the key.
Life according to me
Believe it you can
do whatever you want
and be anything you want to be.
Life can be a bitch,
so go on and grab it by the leash.
VIDEOS
The video below is the 'Schizo Movie' advert from mental health stigma campaign Time To Change.
ART
