Whispers Poem by Joyce Rugg

Pain, a constantly consuming companion
It drives me to act with reckless abandon
Like a feral beast, I claw at my cage
All too quickly, sadness takes the place of rage
It drags me down, bottomless and bleak
And yet I have to ask: is it really happiness I seek?
To me, joy seems a waste of time
A cruel hope, then darkness that lasts a lifetime
I dream of escape, but what am I searching for?
Rest from this madness? The key to every locked door?
I want to be away from the voices, outside and in
Always whispering, screaming. When will blessed silence begin?
Ever quiet, eternal rest
Banish my ghosts from the shadows where they nest
Death, the true final frontier
The last refuge from a life of uncertainty and fear
Some days I wish to fall into the endless, dreamless sleep
Taking with me all the secrets I choose to keep
I know I will eventually find the peace I crave
If nowhere else, six feet under, in my grave