Lurking everywhere in my mind 
is a dark, gloomy Depression 
and no one will lift or unbind 
me from its crushing compression. 
A gleaming fang, 
a glowing evil eye, 
my hopes hang, 
in bloody jaws, and die. 
It growls and snaps, 
spraying me with gore; 
in glee It claps, 
and smashes me to the floor. 
But someone's there, 
bathed in apparent perfection, 
isn't She fair, 
in hasty retreat is Depression. 
For a second, it's wonderful, 
I can actually laugh, 
but it sounds hysterical, 
and it dies, cut in half. 
She walks on by, 
and It returns, 
I want to die, 
rejection burns. 
No one stands between me 
and my personal Depression, 
it advances carefully, 
a court of destruction in session. 
Each claw, scornful glances, 
each growl, a mocking jeer, 
each tooth, turned advances, 
I am facing my life here. 

May 10, 1985