the turbulent sea of my emotions
tosses my fleet mercilessly,
perilously close to the rocks of
anguish, the needles of
hopelessness and the whirlpool of
despair.
that vortex will **** joy and
life from you, ‘til all that remains
is a broken shell,
seemingly strong on the outside
but hollowed out and
empty inside.

the black many-tentacled beast
grabs, trying to pull you down
deep into the abyss,
******* you into the darkness,
feeding on the happiness within,
morsel by morsel,
until your stomach is churned empty,
save for the pebbles of loneliness
which rattle around,
frightening off your self-esteem,
self worth and pride.

set your compass to the pulsing beam,
follow the path of light to safety.
learn what it is that alters your course
and how to regain control,
how to grab the rudder and
steer your course;
use the stars and moon
in the inky darkness,
and know that after the storm
the sun will shine again.