Chris Rathburn

My new book Wayward Wyrd is out! It's a dark fantasy about a magical boy trying to escape slavery with a human hybrid girl trying to escape extermination. Both are looking for a place where they can live in peace. Together, they might have a chance. amazon.com/Wayward-Wyrd-Chri…

It's hard to explain But not many people ask So it kind of works To just do what's expected And pretend like I fit in Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

It just hurts right now And it doesn't matter why Let's just get you help So that you can feel better And we'll figure it out then Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

It's not giving up Sometimes there's no good answer There's just how it is And the sanest thing to do Is to accept and let go Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

In the parking lot Taking a moment to breathe After a tough talk With the vet about my cat And not getting my hopes up Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Sometimes it's alright And everything quiets down Nothing to cope with No need to be resilient Pay attention, don't miss it Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

It is always there Loneliness from early times The countless layers Of coping built over it Still thump hollow when I pace Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Winnowing it down Until what I mean to say Fits within these lines Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #Haiku #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

We learn how to be Completely independent Only to grow old And have to learn to accept Losing that independence Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

It gets to a point I don't recognize myself Everything I've been Doesn't fit me anymore And I don't know what to do Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Slower than before But more at peace with it now The work is still good Maybe better than it was Before, when I was quicker Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

It wasn't the way That I thought that it would be There were twists and turns I didn't anticipate Now here I am, spinning out Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Living long enough The people I used to be Are only layers Rings of lives I used to lead Old wood supporting new growth Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

The first time falling Was difficult to accept But they added up So now I walk with a cane And that's just the way it goes Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

The boat keeps rocking But it's become so normal I'm figuring out How to keep myself stable When everything goes sideways Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Catching it early Before thoughts start to spiral And slowing things down Until I stop panicking And feel like myself again Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

There is still heartache I'm sure there always will be But it gets better With practice and self-respect With patience and perspective Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Listen to music As though there is nothing else And be in my home A backyard swaying hammock My old dog barks at squirrels Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Today's a good day Happy like I haven't been Since moving got hard I'd forgotten my body Could still feel like it was mine Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Some days it hits hard All the negative thinking And anxiety Comes crashing in all at once And I disappear beneath Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety

Sometimes it's useful To take what's messed up inside And represent it As something outside myself To wrap my head around it Words: Mine Image: AI, based on my words. #poetry #tanka #mentalhealth #depression #anxiety