Silent Songs.

Shirali Raina

No songs, no more words
Her voice dissolved
In a blank red haze,
The trapped eyes
Have a new language.

The tunnelled darkness,
Ever spinning mind
Now she sinks,
Fear by fear
And no guiding light.

You are my heaven,
You would whisper
And she did believe.
If you lost yours,
More has she.

Breathe her empty spaces
As she sits alone,
Fragile and frozen,
Her strange hell has
A cold floor.

Be her succouring eagle
Wing the gathering storm;
Dance with her, dance again 
On rhythms of hope.
Her song of silent scars.

A lot of effort has been made over the recent years to spread awareness about mental health issues. This has encouraged people to not only recognise their state of health but also speak about it and seek help. However, there still are large number of incidences where the sufferers are not able to convey their need for help or are not strong enough to battle it out by themselves. Their close circle of family and friends needs to be aware that they can play a pivotal role by reading the early signals, reaching out and standing by them. Healing comes in many forms, the support from a loved one being an important one.

Shirali Raina, a physician and a clinical research professional from India, has a keen interest in writing about human and social values, and mental health issues. Her stories, articles and contributions have been published in local and national newspapers. Her poems have been published in Hektoen International and Lothlorein Poetry Journal.