[Hearing voices] is not the “inner speech” most of us are familiar with, where we tell ourselves to do something, or admonish ourselves. True voice hearing is a different phenomenon. Many of those who suffer from it hear these voices through their ears, the way you are hearing my voice. Most people find it highly distressing. The experience often becomes overwhelming, especially if they don’t tell anyone, which is common. Imagine if I started screaming obscenities at you and accusing you of things that only you would know you were potentially guilty of. It would be terrifying.
Last night I heard about the voices
that make their dwelling in abandoned
cars and vacant lots where shadows
of forgotten crimes
smoulder like
ashy lips
that threatened
(“Keep quiet about this
or I’ll kill your family”)
and now accuse
(“You worthless trash, why
don’t you just die?”)
Tormented stranger
how often to my shame
have I crossed to the other side
when I hear you squeak and gibber –
my voice has failed you
each time that I fold
and tuck it
behind my averted eyes
© 2011 David A. Welch
Originally posted at Poetic Asides
