The Stranger

Author Bio: Roberta Henderson is a writer from Virginia who lives with bipolar disorder and uses poetry to help cope with her illness. In this piece, she describes feeling strange about yourself, and facing feelings and emotions.

​The Stranger

Last night I forgot how to laugh.
Silence and stillness fell over me
As sad thoughts replaced the happy ones.
Peeling my face off, I saw a stranger.
 
My mind ran like a river
As if trying to find the reason
For this rude awakening.
 
Chancing upon a sealed envelope,
I opened it; my feelings spilled out.
Facing myself seemed so strange.
I tried to laugh to ease the pain
But the tears came out too fast.
 
Today I remembered how to laugh.
I picked up my face and put it on.
My feelings were still on the desk.
Stuffing them back in the envelope,
I remembered to use a new seal.

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Roberta Henderson does not use social media.
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