Full name: Monique Di-Paolo
Artist name: Monique
Age: 17
College/ School: Pimlico Academy
Mentally Unhealthy
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
I’m here. I’m here.
Can you see me?
Can you see me?
I’m here. I’m here.
Surrounded by the emptiness and silence,
Always seem to run away and always seem to hide it,
Hopelessness, seems like a constant parade,
I go through this struggle almost every day,
Self-harm and screaming and suicidal thoughts,
There’s no other way that I can get my points across,
Loneliness, isolation, youth need an education,
Attempting to express myself through all the perspiration,
I am suffering daily, it’s covered by a façade,
It’s hard, this emotion seeping out of a mask.
Swimming in my misery I find it hard to see,
Life’s a blur – my worries simply spat out at me,
Drowning in a swimming pool poisoned with chlorine,
Please don’t even dare to tell me “it’s only just a dream” ‘cos this can’t be,
Alone with no other possibility,
Holding my breath, I always found it hard to breathe,
It’s tough; my mind restricting me in hand cuffs,
Imprisoned in my brain and it’s driving me insane,
What can I say?
Makes me feel some kind of way,
I used to see the colour in life now all I see is grey,
All that was needed was attention to be paid,
All could’ve prevented this sudden mess that I’ve made
Seeking for self-help whilst subconsciously slipping,
I’m holding on for dear life but I must be losing grip and,
I am a little bird with the inability to fly,
I am a car stuck in traffic; no motivation to try,
I am the last hello and the first goodbye,
Don’t bother to look at me, I will blend in with the night.
Forced to look at myself, reluctant I see distortion,
The mirror a kaleidoscope and no safety precautions,
Body dysmorphia and EDNOS,
Please, I’ll save you the time and you can take a wild guess,
I’m just a teenage girl, insecure of how I dress,
I’m just a teenage girl, I’m in need of a rest,
I’m just a teenage girl, all these hormones, ignore it,
Oblivious to all the signs and here is the worst bit,
You won’t blink an eye, as I fake a smile,
As I shed a tear – life is not so worthwhile,
So I shall be brave, what else can I do?
Inevitable disasters continue to see me through.
About Wellbeing Through Arts
Wellbeing Through Arts is a series of workshops focusing on the artistic development of different forms of expression to empower and educate. The aim is to provide a safe environment where young people can develop new forms of communication and actively nurture their talent.
ReThink hosted our first series of workshops at it’s Young People Mental Health Conference Invisible Struggles.
https://www.rethink.org/news-views/2016/10/invisible-struggles-its-not-just-a-phase

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