Julie Everson uses writing to help manage her struggles with borderline personality disorder. Creating poetry is important to her personal healing—allowing her to share her unique perspective of the world, release inner turmoil, and potentially benefit others.

Her poem “Freak” tells part of her story.

Freak

There was a startling flash in the sky, the day she let her freak flag fly

A loud resounding boom as all the tears she’d ever cried communed

She raised her arms and stretched her hands towards the swirling sky

Then brought them down swiftly

With an echoing shriek

The clouds released their salty downpour

Painting the ground around her in splashes of gold and pink

Gasping and whimpering she looked around

Faces stared back in shocked disbelief

She finally accepted that the stares never knew

The human tragedy she’d witnessed

The moments her whole heart was consumed

Grievous fights to release rage

Throwing people like rag dolls and yes her time came

She was thrown down an endless well

Of human struggles and tales to tell

Like homeless men whose life mission was that once a month

when a cheque brought their crack habit kicking

She sat under the bridge and smoked it with him

His dirty, scabbed hands passed her the can

“Make me clean, make me clean”

She whispers, “I can’t”

She lay sick in sweat

Watching vivid memories, like herself getting beat to the rhythm of death’s dubstep

Unable to sleep but just to watch

Watch as the nurses strapped her down real tight

Flinching as the restraints sucked away her will to fight

Watch as she ran away, assaulting an officer to not be apprehended that day

She watches as she sat by a couch, razor and blood is everywhere, all over herself

“I wanna wake up…”

“You are awake,” she tells herself

A little girl in so much pain, unable to understand why she was not the same

They surrounded the one that was different and dove in ripping

Grinning sharks, teeth razor sharp

Her unraveling flesh delivered no resistance

She watches and listens as the thunder rumbles in the distance

No, these faces will never understand the depth;

the strength it takes your body to withstand

Blow after crushing blow

They discuss their trips and their carnival cruises, as she sits behind them feeling empty and useless

No more!

Here is her freak flag

She’s a survivor of her very soul’s molestation.

She doesn’t need to be them, she can never be them

Because she can’t undo

The scenes of her life are all a freak show for you

Her heart pounds as she stands

Shaking the rain out of her hair like fine gold sand

She takes a deep breath and reminds herself that she can

She will be this person she desires to be

She is going to show you all what’s inside of me

Image Credit
Feature: Richard George Davis, used with permission