Shifting Tides (September 15, 2019)

Many times

Have found myself

Standing on the platform

Waiting for the subway.

Pacing waiting area

Several trains past

Due to crowding.

Trigger for 

Anxiety/panic attacks

As the result

Of bullying and abuse..

Hugging station wall

Like a safety net

From the track's edge.

Scared

Suicidal thoughts

Will win.

Only needs

One time

To be fatal.

Knowing

Not only person

Experiencing this. 

Those

Who "survive"

Their mangled bodies

Leave witnesses traumatized. 

Reading online article

Two local transit systems

Dealing with suicides

A 180° change

Previous policy of silence.

Whenever

Someone attempts suicide

Whether or not

Successful.

Tightrope act

Informing passengers

And preventing copycats

For reason of delay.

Society's stigmas

Towards mental illness

Slowly peels away.

Human cost

No longer ignored.

Annual rising attempts

Successful suicides

And workdays lost

By transit employees

And others.

Solutions

Monetary intensive

Various government levels

Crying poor.

Saving short term pennies

For long term dollars

As the toll mounts.

Either way

It must be paid.

Therisa © 2019 

Author’s note: The article that sparked this poem: https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/longform/subway-suicide-prevention-ttc?webview=true&appname=news-android-app&udid=7f43206c-fe21-42fe-b496-86de9a29fa17&adobe_mc=TS%3D1568497711%7CMCAID%3D5D5AA6ABDE3045D7-28F2582C80E9BEF5

3093: Why The Poetic Ink Flows (April 1, 2019)

From my words

Does darkness bleed

Before you.

Of sorrows

Humanity has casted

Against itself.

Where being yourself

Is a dangerous thing

Signing a contract hit

Upon oneself.

Where ignorance fueled hate

Has long reign supreme

In treating minorities.

Regardless

Visible or not.

Being transgender

Can feel the rope

Tighten against my neck

Digging in.

Strange fruit hanging

From the roadside

On nearby trees

Gently swaying

In the nighttime breeze.

To many people

Just another lynching

One f--king less tranny

Who cares.

I do.

As tears flow

Remembering those times

The bullying/abuse

Forced to endure

Over the years.

Hoping beyond hope

All future generations

Can be spared

This wasted negative energy

I've lived through.

Writing this

A little corner

Of my brighted soul

Is exposed and unlocked

To the healing

So badly needed.

Therisa © 2019

Author's note: On March 31, 2019, the 11th International Transgender Day of Visibility was

observed. My poetry is, one way that I share with others, the pain and suffering,

transgender people have endured and are overcoming. Especially, given my

experiences are, of the extreme end of the spectrum for bullying and abuse. Not all

transitions are gentle and peaceful, for those, involved.

Not sure, I'll be sharing, with a group, as right now, I'm feeling emotionally drained, so many

levels. Ironically, the sun is shining brightly, outside my apartment window. Go figure.