His senses hold him prisoner
Overwhelmed and alone
Walls were his burden
The light too much to bear

The soaked linen of yesterday's news
Stained with fear from battles before
Eclectic hoarding and microwave meals
Swallows a sharp suit and a badge

Headlights cast broken shadows
Each a spectre of the past
Empty scotch and cigarette holes
A slow crawl to solitude

Light burns through a slither
Heart beating through the walls
Strangled by the sirens
That triggered him before

He needs to be cradled
Yet no one comforts him
He rocks back and forth
Rhythmic on the floor

Screams muted by paralysis
Silence pervades the void
Fractured by the rasp and
A crescendo of emotions

The warning bells pass
They did not come for him
His symphony of sorrow
Plays out to an empty room

By Darren Wall ©

The hero of mine
My closest kin
Protector of fear
Where do I begin?

A mind of books
A wild story teller
Helping me sleep
Brothers bestseller

You took me away
On the high seas
We fought armies
Bullies and Thieves

I idolised you brother
Always by your side
Bikes from the shed
We'd go out for a ride

Long summer nights
Watching the skies
Satellites passing
Stars filled our eyes

But...

Youth escaped us
We were no longer free
The weight of life
Came down on me

The sun didn't shine
The shadows grew long
I searched for you
I tried to be strong

I missed your stories
I needed you brother
We drifted apart
From one another

I tried to reach you
But silence befalls
Keeping me out
Surrounded by walls

Ten long years
Since I saw you last
Only memories remain
Left long in the past

I really don't want
Our story to end
But our bond is..
Too fragile to mend

By Darren Wall ©

I'm hidden by barriers
That you cannot see
I'm trapped and alone
But you can see me

I'm muted by noise
That you cannot hear
My screams fall silent
I'm frozen in fear

The pressure builds
My mind is racing
You fail to see
The struggles I'm facing

The room is spinning
My heart's beating fast
Thoughts creeping in
How long will they last?

I sit here vacant
I'm traumatised
I failed to answer
You.... recognised

Pounding your desk
Screaming my name
Jumbled words
Repeating again

I don't know the answer
I want to reply, but..
I keep blanking out
I can't explain why

In front of the class
You call out my name
"I've told you twice..
I'm not explaining again!"

I'm hidden by the barriers
That you cannot see
I'm trapped and alone
Until quarter past three

By Darren Wall

I only asked for your presence
I didn't want to call you again
I didn't expect you to mock me
As I, tried to process my pain

I'm sorry I expressed my sadness
I'm sorry I needed a hand
I didn't want to burden you
I hoped that you'd understand

I'm sorry I battled my demons
I'm sorry I shared my distress
I'm sorry but I was drowning
With Post Traumatic Stress

I didn't expect the silence
I didn't expect the blame
I suffered for my illness
I upset the family name

I had to hide my demons
I kept my sorrow confined
I watched you move on..
Without me,
As I was left behind

Time has left a stranger
I'm not the brother you know
In order to help me heal
I had to let you go

A moment of solace
Destroyed by the sea
It's pulling me under
I cannot break free

I cling to the boat
My nails digging in
The raging storm
Battling within

A torrent of water
Crushing my chest
Pinning my body
Causing distress

My mind floods
I'm drowning in fear
Helplessly watching
My end drawing near

I hear my name
As you call for me
You settle the noise
The storms and the sea.

The light disappears
My life fades to black
I struggle to breathe
But you pull me back

The distance between us
Grows further apart
Consumed by the storm
That blackens my heart

And out at sea I battle
With all that nature throws
Waves that strip the ocean
Exposing cracks and bones

I'm battered by the storms
Waves tower over me
I'm frozen on the sea bed
Time stands still for me

I'm paralysed with fear
Exhausted, weak and prone
The sea will soon consume me
I can't fight this alone

My life flashed before me
A memory kept inside
Playing my emotions
That surge with the tide

A glimmer of light
Breaking the skies
In awe of the wonder
That light up my eyes