Featured Poet - Tayane de Oliveira

WHAT IS A POET?

A poet is a melancholic being, often a deeply depressed one.

A poet is a heartbroken soul

One that romanticizes all things

One that believes in soulmates 

One that thinks he lost his.

A poet's thoughts are the darkest place to be

If the poet wrote about you, you should know you are not special. 

You either broke his heart, stole his thoughts or traumatized his soul.

You could have done it all. 

But the poet would still have loved you 

The poet tortures himself 

By putting his distressed misery into words

Words that rhyme and sing 

Things that the tyrant loves to hear 

The poet has no shame.

He uses his enemies as inspiration. 

And falls in love with his friends 

He tells you lies to cover his pain. 

Otherwise, how could people understand his remaining?

The poet only listens to himself. 

Or his thoughts, as for him, his thoughts don’t belong to him. 

He listens to this voice and writes its requests.

Almost like a dead spirit, who wants to let go of his feelings

Through the poet's words.

The poet won’t ever get recognized 

The reader won’t appreciate it and his painful words will be in vain.

Still wish to be a poet?

I’m afraid you can’t choose to write 

Only a miserable heart can rhyme 

Create the art of failing every time 

So that others can feel thrive.

HOLLOW SORROWS 

She often suffers, but she can’t see you suffering,

Or braving dissatisfaction.

Attracted to the unknown

Disturb herself with unstable thoughts.

She can’t take criticism but loves to criticize.

Sure appreciates originality.

Or emotional loss

Feel insecure about her own identity.

Moved by guilt,

Won’t be so confident in her authenticity.

Only when experiencing extreme emotions does she feel alive.

Love the beauty only if it is shared.

Waste life looking for repressed memories.

Hates the obsessed but is for her own destiny.

Live for her fanciful self.

Wonder if help is needed.

Or is she just being dramatic again?

Why does she invest time in getting problems?

Life must be beautiful, but she wouldn’t have a clue.

Avoiding any kind of common banality

Still refuses to recognize qualities

Scared of having no identity or personal importance

To be ruining her life with the choices she's made.

Wasting opportunities based on fear is her worst nightmare.

Although she explores creativity in a unique way,

She shares an oppressive sense of alienation.

An analytical mind won’t help her get over her fears.

Self-hatred and death obsession

I try to understand her to understand myself.

Her unattached soul and sarcastic mind cause me admiration and displeasure.

The anxiety is killing her slowly.

Day by day, as the ticking clock agonizes her thoughts.

she loses her sense of what's important 



ABOUT THE POEMS: "In this collection, I bare my soul through four intimate poems, each a puzzle piece to a turbulent mental health journey. Born from the darkest corners of my existence, they hold the weight of personal struggles and the fragile moments when I staggered on the edge. For me, there's a profound joy in having these pieces featured in projects like Poetry for Mental Health, where readers, much like myself, can find solace and understanding within the lines. It's a connection established through shared experiences, a silent conversation with those who have walked similar paths. The poem ‘What is a poet?’ Is a personal interpretation of Kierkegaard's vision, unraveling the essence of a poet's existence, a journey that mirrors my own pursuit of self-discovery through verse. Now ‘Hollow Sorrows’ stands as a raw critique of my weaknesses. It's an exploration of the battle with anxiety, a mirror reflecting my moments of vulnerability and self-doubt. These poems are not just words on paper, they're fragments of my being, a testament to resilience and a shared understanding that extends beyond language."