Maelstrom
The Storm in My Head
mael·strom
/ˈmālˌsträm/
noun
a powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river.
a situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil.
A situation.
That is what this is. A dangerous situation. A scary situation.
My mind can't process the thoughts that devour my emotions like locusts
Stripping the peace tree of its leaves.
A state of confused movement.
This has me stuck, unable to move forward.
I'm moving, but getting nowhere.
I pace to calm my thoughts, reciting them in time with my steps.
My body contracts, like unseen vices tightening.
Confused as to why I move through life the way I do-physically. Mentally. Emotionally.
Violent turmoil.
Not just turmoil-violent turmoil.
Thoughts battling in my head.
Fighting to see which ones will destroy me for the next hour.
A constant cycle of battles that leave me weary and robs me of sweet silence.
Violent clashes between reality and my mind's reality.
Harsh emotions with jagged edges whirling around me, taking pieces of me with every hit.
Maelstrom.
Thank you for reading my work. I appreciate every heart, comment, read and tip, and I thank you for that.
This piece is inspired by a bipolar cycle. You can read more about me and bipolar here:
About the Creator
J. Delaney-Howe
Bipolar poet. Father. Grandfather. Husband. Gay man. I write poetry, prose, some fiction and a good bit about family. Thank you for stopping by.
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'20/20'
"Do It Again" the track that would ultimately open the Beach Boys final album on Capitol Records which was released on February 10th 1969 had originally been released as a single in August of 1968. The track was the first of many post-Pet Sounds era throwbacks to the early Beach Boys sound which would become continually more cliched and eventually lead the Beach Boys to the level of self-parody they would eventually succumb to in the 1980s while their closest contemporaries The Beatles nearing the end of their run in 1969 would go on to be viewed as the most influential band of all time. However, the song itself is not bad on its surface, and it opens with a futuristic sounding (for 1969) drumbeat captured by then-Beach Boys engineer Stephen Desper using tape delays on the drums performed by Dennis Wilson and John Guerin. The song has been re-recorded numerous times over the years on various Beach Boys-related projects most notably the 2011 re-recording at Capitol studios featuring the five surviving Beach Boys at the time backed instrumentally by various members of both the Brian Wilson Band and Mike Loves touring "Beach Boys" to promote the then upcoming Beach Boys 50th Anniversary reunion tour in 2012. The hammering and power drill sound at the end of the song was an excerpt from a track called "Workshop" that was to be a part of the uncompleted "SMiLE" album.
By Sean Callaghan6 days ago in Beat
Comments (3)
This piece feels very intense and real. The way you describe the mind as a storm is very powerful. I could feel the confusion and tiredness in every line. The short sentences make the emotions hit harder. Thank you for sharing something so honest and personal.
'stripping the peace tree of its leaves' wow, Jim. Hold on- this is the worst week of the entire year. Scrooge isn't the only one revisited by ghosts, my friend. We are covered with thoughts of the past and (at times well-thought out) concerns for the future. Hold on to the now, my friend. I know this piece will speak to many. J
While devastating like a violent storm- I think this is the best poem you’ve written