Skip to main content

My Version of Hope- A Poem

My fingers were itching to share more about my experience on managing mental illness, to write and to share my thoughts, my therapy. I let my mind wonder and started writing a poem. I don't have a lot of experience writing poems but I ventured off into another form of expression. Below is the poem I wrote:

My Version of Hope
by Ashley Smith


I feel a better me is yet to come,  
No more naive decisions that make me feel dumb. 
Limitless opportunities are on the way,
I believe I know what I want and how not to stray. 


I see myself as the individual I long to be- free, confident, and classy, 
My experiences cannot stop me,
Not schizophrenia and depression nor anxiety.
Because ingrained in me is an overcomer of adversity.


Now I understand how to strive in my recovery,
But I cannot take all the credit when it took a caring party.
I give thanks to my treatment team, family and peers,
Including those online that opened up about their fears.


And I will never overlook my miracle from above,
Forever recovering and living a life I am proud of.
My faith keeps me going as did my mom.
And now that she is gone, for others, I will remain strong.


Within my spirit hope shed its light, 
Now I aspire to share the fight.
Join me as I dare to put myself out there,
And overcome the stigma that we bear. 


Hold them accountable, 
Oh yes, for the lies and propaganda that so freely is told,
Together we can contribute to the solution,
I urge you, to continue to speak, write, and demolish the confusion. 




 

Comments

Kokyo David Young said…
This is truly a recovery..may I copy to a friend who had made her way out of the long tunnel....I've been out for a number of years and it is FINE!

~Kokyo
David Holloway said…
I'm very fond of poetry, as you know and this one stands out, it's very touching.
Ashley Smith said…
Yes, Kokyo. Also send your friend a link to my blog. Thank you.
Ashley Smith said…
Thank you so much David! That makes me feel very good... And its great to hear from you.
Dawn said…
Hi Ashley,

I love the spirit of your poem and it really resonates with me. I can identify with so much of it.

Thanks for sharing and many blessings to you.
Anonymous said…
Ashley as always thank you.I truly admire your strength and courage. You are an amazing woman and give me so much more confirmation in the faith I have for my boyfriend who lives with schizophrenia and is struggling. I believe in him fully. He is really in a rough spot now but working towards what he needs to do for his recovery. His "voices" have been very loud lately and all he longs for at the moment is for quietness. My question for you is do the auditory hallucinations ever fully quit with recovery and medication?

Nicole
Ashley Smith said…
Thank you for the warm blessings, Dawn!

Ashley Smith said…
Hi Nicole, to answer your question it depends on the individual and medication. For some individuals the voices persists despite the medication. For others the voices stop with the right medication.
Anonymous said…
Ashley,
This is a beautiful poem. Thank you so much for posting. I would like to know if you attend any support groups in Atlanta. If so, where are they located? I am looking for support for my daughter. It is a daily struggle for her.
Ashley Smith said…
Hi, I do attend support groups in Atlanta, check out the namiga.org website to find one in your area.
Jae Hill said…
Hi Ashley,

I was happy to find your blog. I also am an African American woman living with a mental illness called Schizoaffective Disorder. I also wanted to begin my way of educating people about my illness because I have learned so much along the way. To see that you have done it gives me hope that I can do it too. Thanks for the inspiration.

Jennifer Hill
Ashley Smith said…
Thank you, Jennifer Hill!
Gail Russell said…
I really like this poem. I think what we all want is truth, understanding and freedom to be ourselves. Thank You for writing this. Although my experiences with Schizophrenia have not been what was expected I still have hope for the future and belief in the people who surround me.

Popular posts from this blog

No, Please, That's Not Me

Prior to my diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia I did some things that I am not proud of. Now that I look back on things I blame my illness for my poor judgment. I am by no means condoning the behavior I carried out, and will share with you here. I will provide a few instances where my behavior was unlike me and caused an uproar. This post shows how schizophrenia affects other people. This post is for the family members and friends of people with schizophrenia, or showing bizarre behaviors. First, I asked my mother permission to give my friend a statue that was in my mother's house. My mother agreed to give my friend the statue, however, I took her permission a step further to get rid of what she had at my discretion. At the time I did not live with my mother who was away on a business trip. My mother buys and sells things so she had a lot of collectibles, antiques, and other interesting stuff. While my friend and me were in my mother's house my friend saw a lot of stuff that s

What Is Remission?

Remission is the absence of symptoms for at least six months with the support of medication. In other words, a doctor who has never seen you before may not diagnose you as a person with schizophrenia anymore. Remission is also high functioning in several aspects of life, living independently, goinig to school or to work, and socializing with other people. However, this does not mean the patient is cured or the illness has went away, the illness is still present, however, under control. Remission is achieved with the assistance of medication. "Published studies suggest that 10% to 20% of people with schizophrenia have remission of their illness as they get older, 20% get worse, but in a large majority (60% to 70%), the course of illness remains relatively unchanged." To reach remission it is recommended that you aim for a stress-free environment. Therefore, do things to relieve stress such as journaling, exercising, talking to friends, listening to or creating music, making a

by A Guest Blogger: For Addicts, Recovery Means Creating a New Life

If you’re struggling to maintain your sobriety, you aren’t alone. There are millions of fighters just like you working toward reclaiming their lives from drugs and alcohol. There are a few common traits that many successful recovering addicts share. Keep reading to find out what they are and how you can follow in their footsteps. They establish new patterns You can’t continue to live your life the same was you did when you were using. You must change and adapt to your newfound sobriety. Consider a career change; many recovering addicts find they have more success by starting their own business. One career that is easy to enter is dog walking. As a dog walker , you’ll reap many rewards including getting to spend time with dogs, which can actually boost your recovery efforts and stave off depression. Dogs have been used as part of a treatment plan for users as young as 11 and come with the added benefit of helping you stay physically active. Plus, being with