Restless Sea

Sometimes my soul, a restless sea
Thoughts bombard, torrential rain
Emotions struggle, waves collide
Internal storm, unseen on the external plane

Within me I search for a haven of calm
The place equipped with the compass
The gauge disentangled with the storm
Revealing the truth, the facts
The instrument that guides my way

I find it....the gauge to guide
I rivet my focus upon it
What are the facts?
What is the truth clearly stated?
What direction do I take to safety?

I collect the data and plot a course
To steer me safely through the storm
I traverse the winds and torrential rain
By reading the truth upon the gauge

My emotions do not guide me
Nor the bombarding thoughts like rain
Focused on the gauge I find my way
Soon safety and calm replace the pain

I log that success, the steps that were taken
To traverse the wind and the rain
I will remember and not forget
The truth...the gauge...the course...the steps
To guide me to safety again


Written september 2001, as I was struggling with mood swings and learning to apply cognitive behavioral therapy.