Living With Bipolarism

I shine with laughter at a fleeting spark,

A stranger’s smile can set my soul aflame,

Yet shadows linger, waiting in the dark,

And silence chills me, though I bear no blame.

The world may ask why joy erupts so fast,

Why sudden sorrow bends my spirit low;

But do not judge the storm that cannot last,

For both the flame and smoke are mine to show.

Within my chest, two tides forever meet,

One lifts with wonder, one pulls down with dread;

Both pain and sweetness make my heart complete,

Both living dreams and ghosts of words once said.

So, love me not for calm or constant hue,

But for the light and shadow shining through.