What Depression Feels Like

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What Depression Feels Like

The liquid velvet, soft and deep,
A wonderfully warm tide to keep
The soul at rest, the skin in grace,
A gentle, all-encompassing embrace.
It holds the sun’s forgotten art,
A yielding balm that mends the heart,
Sinking deep into the bone,
Where every coil of tension is overthrown.

A quiet joy within the chest,
A feeling wholly warm and blessed.
Not just physical, but a love untold,
A deep, inexplicable warmth to hold.
In peaceful suspension, time is still,
The outside world obeys the will
Of this sweet bliss, where nothing is near
But the gentle lapping of the heat held dear.

Then, a subtle shift begins to creep,
Disturbing the water from its sleep.
A whisper of coolness, a current’s sigh,
A quiet, inevitable tide draws nigh.
Down and down, the sanctuary falls,
The warmth’s core pulled through unseen walls,
A slow descent, the magic gone astray,
As the perfect feeling flows away.

Swiftly now the change is known,
A shocking cold, where heat was sown.
It hits the body, a sharp intrusion,
A sudden, stark, and cold confusion.
Creeping up the limbs, the awakening stark,
Leaving a chill, a profound, cold mark.
A sudden loss, a trailing dread,
As comforting heat has truly fled.

The final warmth is now withdrawn,
I lie in wait for the bleak, cold dawn.
The porcelain icy, the air is chill,
The once-magical pool is now still.
A container cold, and left alone,
A bleak and empty vessel of stone.
I shiver slightly, the memory’s grace
Of that perfect heat still haunts this place,
Wondering why such a feeling could flee,
And depart so completely from me.

A good friend once told me that this is how depression feels. I do not have depression. I have anxiety. But I thought it was an interesting metaphor for depression. I wanted to write it down to give some awareness. He said once the cold hits you, you feel like the warmth will never come back.

https://books2read.com/u/m25Ygd

I am Strong

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I am strong, a fortress of resilience
Forged in fires of adversity.
My spirit, unyielding, resolute,
Stands tall against the fiercest storms,
Knowing within me resides an indomitable will.

I will prevail, surrender not an option.
Each challenge faced, each obstacle overcome,
Strengthens my resolve, propels me forward,
On the path to victory. I am a testament
To persistence, triumph over tribulation.

I am powerful, not just physical might,
But in the boundless energy of my being.
My thoughts are sparks that ignite change,
My actions ripple effects that reshape my world.
I am a force of nature, orchestrating transformation.

My words can move mountains,
Imbued with conviction and purpose.
Architects of dreams, catalysts for action,
Capable of grandest endeavors,
Shifting stubborn landscapes of thought.

My words can tear people down,
A sobering reminder of immense responsibility.
The power to wound, a shadow lurking,
Ever conscious of its presence.

I choose to lift them up. This is my solemn vow,
My guiding principle. To use my voice,
My language, not to diminish, but to elevate;
Not to destroy, but to construct; not to break, but to mend.
My words will be a beacon of hope, a chorus of encouragement.

I am strong, a vibrant tapestry
Woven with threads of courage and grace.
My heart beats with the rhythm of endurance,
My mind shines with clarity of purpose.
I am a survivor, a thriver, strength blossoming within.

I am loved, enveloped in an embrace
Of warmth and affection, fueling spirit, anchoring soul.
This love, a precious gift, a sanctuary and a springboard,
Empowering me to reach for stars,
And share my own light with the world.

I am beautiful, not by fleeting outward standards,
But by intrinsic radiance of character,
Depth of empathy, purity of intentions.
My beauty emanates from within,
A vibrant glow that touches all who encounter it.

My words can move mountains,
Echoes of deepest convictions,
Reverberating with strength of beliefs.
Instruments of change, shaping perceptions,
Igniting passions, inspiring monumental shifts.

My words can tear people down,
A stark reminder of delicate balance,
Between influence and harm.
The potential for devastation lies
Within the very same tool that can build.

I choose to lift them up.
This is my unwavering commitment,
Etched into the very fabric of my being.
To channel the power of my words towards upliftment,
To wield them as tools of empowerment,
To sow seeds of kindness and understanding.
My voice will be a source of strength,
A comfort to the weary, a testament
To the transformative power of compassionate communication.

Just a Ghost Upon the Hill

I have to assume all indie writers feel this way eventually. I’ve poured my life into writing—16 years just on novels—and for what? You write and write, and the silence on the other end is deafening. It makes you wonder if it was all just a dream, or if you’re just shouting into the void. At this point, I don’t even know what to feel.”

Just a Ghost Upon the Hill

The cursor blinks against the white,
A lonely pulse in fading light.
The file is open, saved, and clean,
The final chapter, final scene.
No agent waiting, no advance,
Just me, and this one fading chance.

I hit the “publish” button, bold,
A story waiting to be told.
I watched the dashboard, day by day,
And saw the numbers waste away.
A rank that sticks in seven figures,
The hopeful ache that slowly withers.

I tweaked the keywords, bought the ads,
One of a million hopeful fads.
I begged for reviews, a star or two,
From strangers who just skimmed it through.
I wrote the posts, I forced the smile,
And felt the burnout all the while.

The day job calls, the bills are due,
The time I stole to see this through
Feels wasted now, a foolish debt,
A heavy, deep, and cold regret.
The passion I mistook for skill

Is just a ghost upon the hill.
I close the file, I shut the screen.
The world I built remains unseen.
The ink is dry, the well is spent,
I don’t know where the magic went.
I’ll let the silence have the win,
And not pick up the pen again.

More Works by Nancy Ann Creed

https://books2read.com/u/m25Ygd

A Ghost, Unseen.

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I keep the fire in this hall,
Arrange the chairs and mend the wall.
My hands are worn with tending tasks,
Fulfilling all that anyone asks.
I am the keeper of the space,
The one who sets the hurried pace.

And some who gather here draw near,
Their quiet thanks both warm and clear.
They see the work, the effort spent,
Acknowledge what the labor meant.
In their kind eyes, I find my place,
A welcome smile, a moment’s grace.

But others in this shared abode,
Who travel down the very same road,
Look through me as if I were glass,
Observing only shadows pass.
The meal is served, the linens clean,
But I remain a ghost, unseen.


They take the comfort that I make,
But offer nothing for my sake,
A servant in the home I claim,
Known by my function, not my name.

More works by Nancy Ann Creed

https://books2read.com/u/m25Ygd

Outside the Frame

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The music starts, a known, dear beat,
A melody that stirs the soul,
With laughter mixed, both joy and sweet
Sad memory, beyond control.
A circle gleams, a happy ring,
Shimmering bright, with joy imbued,
The song they play, the joy they sing,
A vibrant, shared, harmonious mood.

But I remain, outside the frame,
The door to that bright world is shut.
A finished tale, a quiet flame,
A chapter closed, a silent cut.
A sliver of light beneath the door,
A path I know, but can’t regain,
Hints at the warmth, the joy in store,
A life lived on, beyond my pain.

An unseen glass, a silent chill,
Divides me from their vibrant grace.
I watch their dance, so still, so still,
A world away, yet near this place.
A footstep’s reach, yet worlds apart,
The nearness amplifies the void,
A chasm deep within my heart,
My name unspoken, unenjoyed.

My place is lost, the world moves on,
Unaware of the space I fill,
Indifferent to the path I’ve gone,
A quiet ache, a love held still.
A hollow space, where love resides,
But no more place for it to be,
No role to play, as time presides,
No part for me, for them to see.

So I recede, into the night,
From warmth and light, I turn away,
A silent watcher, lost to sight,
A specter where joy holds its sway.
A shadow faint, by love’s strong burn,
A mournful echo, soft and deep,
In solitude, I slowly learn,
A love I have, but cannot keep.

More Works by Nancy Ann Creed

https://books2read.com/links/ubl/mYM5Go

Feelings

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Feelings (When you know you are being left out.)

The laughter comes through drywall, thick and low,
A happy static I don’t get to know.
I’m in the kitchen, pouring out a drink,
And on the very edge of what they think.
It isn’t cruel, it has no pointed sting,
This accidental orbit where I swing.

The door swings open and the sound cuts clean,
A sudden silence wipes the vibrant scene.
A smile is offered, quick and paper-thin,
A pause, before the story can begin
Again, but different. Softer, and more staid,
A careful, edited version, newly made.

And in that quiet that my presence brought,
A frantic question in my mind is caught:
Was my name just a whisper in the air?
A punctuation mark they couldn’t share?
A punchline or a problem or a plea?
Was the last word they swallowed simply “me”?

There is no proof, no evidence to find,
Just shifting shadows in my worried mind.
A glance that might mean nothing, or mean all,
The way a friendly gesture seems too small.
I’m chasing ghosts of words I never heard,
And judging every single action spurred.

It’s like a hum beneath the floorboards, faint,
A phantom ache that merits no complaint.
For what is there to say? “I feel a dread
About the secret things you might have said”?
They’d call it madness, and perhaps they’re right.
So I just stand here in the fading light,
And smile, and nod, and never let them see
The terrifying space surrounding me.

Check out more work by Nancy Ann Creed

Maeve- https://books2read.com/u/m25Ygd
Matthew- https://books2read.com/u/bzNZYj
Justin- https://books2read.com/u/mBKzLZ
Maurelle- https://books2read.com/u/bzN19D
Annabelle- https://books2read.com/u/bWqEkx

To My Husband

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To My Husband

Before you, love was just a word,
A whisper in a song I’d heard.
A fragile thing, I couldn’t grasp,
A fleeting moment, meant to pass.

But then you came, a steady light,
And chased away the lonely night.
You showed me love, so pure and true,
A constant, gentle, me and you.

No grand gestures, just quiet grace,
A loving look upon your face.
A hand to hold, a shoulder near,
Dispelling every doubt and fear.

You see the best in who I am,
And love me, flaws and all, I am.
You lift me up when I am down,
And paint my world in colors known.

You are my rock, my safe harbor,
The one I’ll love forever after.
With you, I know what love can be,
A precious gift, eternally.

So thank you, love, for all you are,
My shining star, my guiding star.
You showed me love, in every way,
And brighten up my every day.

This Chapter Closed, a Lesson Learned

person holding yellow sunflowerclose up shot of a sunflower

The message sent, a hopeful plea,
A final chance for you and me.
A reaching out, across the divide,
Where hurt and silence now reside.

I asked you how you’ve truly been,
Beyond the surface, what’s within.
I offered space, a listening ear,
To quell the doubts, to conquer fear.

I laid my heart out, vulnerable and bare,
A fragile hope that you might care.
A wish to mend, to find a way,
Back to the light of yesterday.

The clock ticked on, the days flew past,
An answer came, at long, long last.
Or maybe not, the silence deep,
A hollow promise, secrets to keep.

And in that quiet, I found my truth,
A gentle nudge toward my own growth.
This waiting game, I cannot play,
I need to heal, and find my way.

It’s not that I don’t value what we had,
The laughter shared, the moments glad.
But friendship shouldn’t cause such pain,
Or leave me drenched in pouring rain.

So I release you, set you free,
To walk your path, and I, for me.
It’s time to nurture my own soul,
And find a place where I am whole.

This chapter closed, a lesson learned,
My heart may ache, my spirit yearned.
But brighter days are on the rise,
With healthier bonds beneath new skies.

More works by Nancy Ann Creed

https://books2read.com/u/bMMWnk

A Love For Winter

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I can’t wait for this!

A Love For Winter

The wind howls fierce, a frozen bite,
The world outside, a canvas white.
Snow piles high, a drifted dream,
But inside, warmth, a cozy gleam.

The furnace hums a steady tune,
A counterpoint to winter’s moon.
I stir the pot, a savory scent,
A comfort that is heaven-sent.

My little ones, with rosy cheeks,
Sip steaming cocoa, soft and meek.
They build a fort of blankets grand,
A kingdom in this winter land.

I mend a tear, I read a book,
A gentle, loving, mother’s look.
Their laughter rings, a joyful sound,
The warmest feeling can be found.

Outside, the storm may rage and roar,
But love has locked our cozy door.
These precious moments, close and deep,
Are treasures that my heart will keep.

For in the giving, in the care,
A love so strong beyond compare,
I find a warmth that burns so bright,
A mother’s love, a guiding light.

The snow may fall, the winds may blow,
But in this heart, a fire will glow.
For family’s love, a precious art,
Keeps winter’s chill far from my heart.

More Works by Nancy Ann Creed

Let’s Greet the Day

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Let’s Greet the Day

The sun, a sneaky, golden thief,
Has crept in, past the window’s leaf.
No shadows dance, no moonbeams gleam,
It’s morning now, you living dream.

My sleepy cubs, my drowsy crew,
The world awaits, a vibrant hue.
No time for burrowing, deep and tight,
The day’s a canvas, burning bright.

Those eyelids heavy, slumber’s hold,
A story whispered, brave and bold.
Of possibilities, yet unfurled,
Adventures waiting, in the world.

The birds are singing, crisp and clear,
A symphony to banish fear.
Of early rising, tasks to face,
Embrace the moment, find your grace.

The kitchen’s humming, warm and sweet,
With fragrant toast and morning treat.
A steaming mug, a gentle nudge,
To chase the sleep, and be a judge.

Of how you’ll shape this brand new day,
With laughter, learning, come what may.
So rise and shine, my sleepy dears,
And conquer dreams, and dry your tears.

No grumbles, groans, or heavy sighs,
Just open hearts and sparkling eyes.
The world’s a stage, the play’s begun,
Let’s greet the day, my rising suns!