Poem: Bipolar, by Mark Tulin

He struggles to catch up
with those who seem
to be further along, 
skims the rim of a cereal bowl,
tiptoes across the yellow line.

Up all night,
awake like a blinking strobe light.
He slides down a slippery pole
greased in his own body fat,
trying to figure out the world
through a plastic Sippy straw.

Crooked eyes,
frazzled nerves and sizzled hair,
the master of intellectual
the world’s foremost authority
comes up with the cure,
writes the best novel,
and has the answer to life’s
most pressing

Cycling between good and evil,
he believes he’s a God,
a hero, a devil,

Conks out right on the red Target ball,
believes that jumping off a cliff
with paper wings and goggles
would be a credible solution,
retribution, salvation, absolution–
Even a colonic cleanse.

Originally published in SCARLET LEAF REVIEW, March/April issue.




31 comments on “Poem: Bipolar, by Mark Tulin

  1. wow……….this is so good.

  2. Incredibly insightful and honestly courageous ……….

  3. Stunningly written 🖤

  4. This is absolutely amazing. You’re beyond courageous! 🖤

  5. Such a powerful poem and so well written. Thank you for the incredible insight.

  6. Mark, I was blown away with such awesome authenticity. Brilliantly beautiful! ❤️

  7. Ajibola Sunday

    What a wonderful poem, thanks for sharing.

  8. Mind delving puzzle. There are so many pieces expressed here perfectly.

  9. I adore the raw truth in this. 🌸

  10. This is an amazing depiction of how someone with bipolar disorder, or simply someone going through a psychotic episode, thinks.

  11. Your expressions are mind blowing! I loved how you described the the abilities of someone whom the world considers imperfect! You are an amazing writer! 🌸

  12. a terrific poem, Mark. My editor is bi-polar but takes lithium to control it. Maybe he loses some of the zing of his dreams, the momentum of his ambitions but he is stable; there is loss, there is gain.

    • Medication can do wonders, that’s for sure. Some people with bipolar don’t like how the medication feels, though. They miss the energy and creativity of the highs, but the lows are awful.

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