The Sound of Pain
Echo Poem
Pitter-patter,
Pitter-patter —
Rain rolls down the windowpane.
Splish n’ splash,
Splish n’ splash —
Slipping through a broken frame.
Dribble-drip,
Dribble-drip —
Rolls upon the open floor.
Splatter-splosh,
Splatter-splosh —
Held back tears begin to pour.
Sniffle-sob,
Sniffle-sob —
All alone, a desperate cry.
Howling weep,
Howling weep —
Inner pain just wants to die.
Ring a’ ding,
Ring a’ ding —
Phone repeats a silly song.
Ring n’ shhh,
Ring n’ shhh —
It’s too late, my friend is gone.
©️2021, Jac Harmony All rights reserved
September is suicide prevention awareness month. As I sit here weeping, thinking about what to say, someone is saying their last goodbye, someone is giving their final hug, someone is writing their last farewell, someone is pulling the trigger.
In my life, I have both tasted the pain of loss and I have been at that place; that place where it feels like death is the only option. This is a subject that, for me, is both painful to speak about and equally important to do so. Many people suffer from various illnesses and mental health disorders, such as, depression and anxiety… Hell, some people just suffer from moments of doubt and helplessness that have nothing to do with any illness or disorder. Many times there is no warning, no rhyme or reason, just that feeling, that call to be free of pain, that whisper creeping in the mind that says, “It’s time to sleep, to not worry anymore, to not wake up to the sound of suffering and regret.” Because that call is such a silent killer, it is important to know the signs, to hear the voiceless cries for help, to ask the hard question, “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”
This question seems too simple, yet so difficult at the same time. Even saying it out loud sounds… unnatural. However, having asked that question at a crucial moment in someone's life, I have found it can be the difference between life and death. Sometimes, the most simple question is all it takes to bridge the gap of silence.
I just ask, that you take this time to look to your left and to your right; check on your friends, check on your family, check on your coworkers, peers, Soldiers, civilians, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and children. It has been a tough couple of years for everyone, for some, it has been an eternity. Ask if they are ok, be that person who is willing to listen, and if necessary, ask the hard question.
An Echo poem is a poetry form of my creation. It uses onomatopoeia within each stanza to provide an echo sounding effect. There are four stanzas, each stanza consisting of two different onomatopoeic sounds repeated twice before each heptasyllabic line. There are two heptasyllabic lines in each stanza. The rhyme scheme is as follows: O1O1aO2O2a, O3O3bO4O4b, O5O5cO6O6c, O7O7dO8O8d. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions about this poetry form.
