selectability employee shares powerful poem

For Bowen resident and selectability Lifestyle Support Worker Simon the pain of losing a friend to suicide is something he knows all too well.

Fifteen years following the incident Simon took pen to paper to write the powerful poem, Lament, dedicated to his friend Paul, who passed away in 1986.

“I started writing poetry in 2001, one night I was just sitting there and it (Lament) just came out from somewhere.

“I’ve written about a lot of things, it is a way for me to just get it all out. Normally when I am feeling any angst about something I pick up a pen and paper and write about it,” explains Simon.

Simon’s poem Lament tells the story of suicide from the perspective of those left behind, and he was able to use the writing process cathartically

“I think writing the poem did help it was like I was acknowledging the fact that he had done it and there was no comeback – there was no turning back. I couldn’t talk to him again, we couldn’t phone up…we couldn’t chat.

“The piece also is about his family and how they felt about Paul having taken his own life.”

Not long after writing the poem Simon spoke to Paul’s mother and told her about Lament, she was intrigued so he sent her a copy.

“She was very grateful that her son who had passed 20 years before hadn’t been forgotten and that there was people who remembered him and his name.”

Lament (2001)

The moment it takes us to swallow a breath,

for some it is life while others their death.

We take it for granted the emotion of ours,

the everyday things a brain it empowers

What is it in some that triggers this thought?

that all up to now achieved a big nought.

So end it I will and off I’ll go,

but hide the emotions in case they’ll show

right up ‘til the end so nobody knew

how a vision so tunneled was your ultimate view. 

When a phone call away were all family and friends

whose ears would have loved you to happily bend

but to no avail you did what you did

we know it’s all over when the dirt’s on the lid.

Then it finally sinks in you’ve done what you’ve done

can no longer talk hang out and have fun.

Your friend’s they did cry and say what a waste

a sad day indeed for a demise done in haste.

 

With who you were is all we are left

as to the why our answers bereft

Now all we have are the memories dear

us survivors get stronger are visions are clear

 

Cause what we have seen in this picture of life

her chapters unfolding sometimes there’s strife

All in all not a bad place to be…

unfortunately not all think like me.