Krisis does not always come with a bang
a storm heralded by a clap of thunder
or even a whimper, a cry for help
krisis can come like a big cat
creeping, camouflaged the colour of
golden grass until so close to it’s prey
escape is impossible
Pity the partner who too, close by has
failed to spot the marauder
– to sound the alarm until too late
and krisis has sprung, jaws locked on
to suffocate – flight impossible, frozen still
For something that arrives so quietly
depression nevertheless rules the roost
changes more lives than the victim’s
spreads it’s blight to partners
children, siblings, friends
and moments of freedom
are hard won – the result
of planning, cajoling
caring persuasion
and often a short reprieve
results in a reactive tightening
of the snare that binds
– would have the victim
knaw off their own leg
if only they had the energy
The only hope – to roll back the
malaise in the same way it came
a single step at a time
hoping a habit will take hold
and the novel become the norm
once more…
© Andrew Wilson, 2025
Over at dVerse Poets Pub, paeansunplugged in Poetics asks us to “write a poem about any pivotal moment in your life that left you with gnawing regrets or you could cover the entire gamut from anger to forgiveness and reconciliation. In short, you will be writing about a krisis in your personal life.”