I dont know why
I’d never seen it before
As the morning sunlight
crept under the door

I watched as it shimmered
and danced in the room
flooding the spaces
erasing the gloom

the light was enchanting
its embrace was so warm
tingling my spine
like a magnetic storm

holding me tighly
in mystical bliss
warming my cheeks
with a dazzling kiss

I sat and I watched
as the golden delight
painted the walls
in a magical light

Until it had filled
every space it could find
my body my soul
my heart in combined

I dont know why
I’d never seen it before
As the morning sunlight
crept under the door

I’d have the strength to say hello
to smile at passers by
No need to hang my head in woe
No need to feel so shy

Id have the energy to dance
I’d laugh and sing all day
And if I caught you watching me
I’d do it anyway

I’d visit all my family
Invite them round for tea
And that dragging feeling
It won’t come and bother me

My children would be happy
as we run around the place
and they wouldnt have to see
the sadness on my face

I’d like to do the simplest task
Like chatting with a friend
someone who will lend an ear
and also comprehend

But most off all the thing i’d do
Is feel alive and free
and i’d tell myself each day
I’m happy to be me.

With good mental health i have my senses awoken

My eyes can see the beauty around me

The sun, the moon and the stars

The snow, the fog and the rain

I can see my journey through life.

My ears can hear the beauty around me

The tweet of a bird, the bark of a dog

The happy singing of childrens voices

I can hear my journey through life

My nose can smell the beauty around me

The sweet smell of flowers and newly mown grass

The smell of fresh bread straight from the oven

I can smell my journey through life

My mouth can taste the beauty around me

The taste of sugar, spice and things that are nice

The taste of white chocolate all molten and warm

I can taste my journey through life

My skin can feel the beauty around me

The touch of  ‘My Ruby’ and the kisses she gives me

The hug from a friend just saying ‘Hello’

I can feel my journey through life

With good mental health my senses are awoken

With good mental health i have

an active mind

a body that feels re-charged

the chance to live my life and

take my place in the world

my mind is FREE

i can be ME.

With good mental health I have the feeling of being alive

peace of mind to be free

happines and positivity

freedom and calmness relaxation and no stress

all these things are key

to great positive mentality

Standing alone, standing still,

Find the moment I am in,

Breath deeply, close my eyes,

Find the gratitude within.

The wind blows upon my face,

The trees sway to and fro,

The leaves play around my feet,

Dancing  hiigh and  low.

I will not let the darkness,

Start to creep up my spine,

I am in control,

This peace is all mine

The secret I now know,

Is to find positives in life,

My world is full of beauty,

Opportunity not strife.

I am  so very blessed,

Love, shelter, water, food,

I understand the universe,

Happiness is gratitude.

Lisa collects a handmade hardback book

She will be presented with this at the House of Lords on the 1st May 2013

Congratulations from all of us at !!

Her work will feature in The Yellow Book going nationwide

Selected Poetry Entries for The Yellow Book please click the titles to view:

• I Feel Life – Ella Zellaby – Rochester Kent
• This World – Stephanie Rose – Bo’ness Scotland
• Lift Your Voice – David Holloway – Bedford
• Mirror – Saiqa Parveen – Halifax
• With Good Mental Health – Anne Broadbent – West Yorkshire
• Meandering – Peter McGrath – Essex
• Senses – Jade Tullet – Berkshire
• The Wren – Ian Curtress – Cheltenham
• Recovery – Lesley Burt – Dorset
• A Home in my Head – Karen Mason – Surrey
• Freedom is Ours – Gemma Rose – East Sussex
• Beauty – Debee Ebeneezer – Nottingham
• It is Ok – Suzanne Bate – Liverpool
• Happiness is Gratitude – Lisa Barry – Rhondda Cynon Taft
• I’ve Changed – Louise Gillett – Christchurch Dorset
• Sunny Side Up – Karim Harvey – London
• Proud to be me – Denise Claxton – Essex
• Daylight after Rain – John Campbell – London
• I Can See The Colour and I Can Feel The Sun – Elizabeth Aldous – Luton
• Free To Be Me – Diana Hayes – Abergavenny
• Bus Journey – Safoora Masood – Halifax
• There Once Was a Young Girl From Wales – Katy Young – Flintshire
• See the Flowers Beneath Your Feet – Anonymous
• I Know – Kauser Parveen – Halifax

Congratulations from all of us at !!

The scene: a serene lake

Shining with energy bursting,

Bright and beautiful and believing.

And on the lake I lay,

Allowing the glow of nature,

To crown me majesty.

I float freely with the calm,

Floating weightlessly; floating aimlessly,

No worries, no shackles holding me.

I am free to fly, I am free to cry

In awe and amazement

At the warmth of the world,

That surrounds me, loves me,

And allows the freedom to surge,

Allows me to just be:

No title, no expectations daunting.

I am nature’s child. I am me.

And when the sun hides

And the moon haunts,

The water hushes and shushes,

Humming me to peaceful sleep.

With Good Mental Health I have….                    Geraldine Walsh-Whiteside

With good mental health I have

Turned my baby step into a longer stride

I now know better than to run and hide

I jump and I seek, no more am I meek.

With good mental health I have

Gained new insight into me,

 Now everything’s not a catastrophe

All things are possible, I truly believe,

I no longer sit alone and grieve.

With good mental health I have

Been able to meet and have a laugh

Or take sheer delight in a bubbly bath

I now sing and I dance

And don’t walk around in a trance.

With good mental health I have

Turned my fight into a cause

Only to reflect do I sit or pause

With help and support

We can all be re-taught.

With good mental health I have

Recaptured and re-invented my world

Who knew how this story would have unfurled

How I re-entered your life anew

The journey maybe long but it’s worth it too!

In Good and Bad Mental Health

In good mental health my poet’s heart sings

In bad mental health my hands just wring

In good mental health I smile and create

In bad mental health I scowl and I hate

In good mental health I fly and I soar

In bad mental health I fear I’m a bore

In good mental health I will face the task

In bad mental health I will wear a mask

In good mental health I have capability

In bad mental health I have disability

In good mental health I think I’m a writer

In bad mental health I am a prize-fighter

In good mental health I have credibility

In bad mental health I have durability

My mental health is good today

For me to share and show the way!

I woke up on a morning bright

With snow laden trees gleeming bright

The silence, silence everywhere

But church bells rang out loud and clear

Across snow crowned trees

And frosty grass but n’er a bee

The snowdrops push their way up high

To greet the day and reach the sky

What better start to a day

Than thinking of your God to pray

For peace on Earth and Love for all

Life calls to me, and I recall

All the majesty of Life

Of living life without  strife

Oh, praise the Peace and Silence too

This is life beckoning you anew.

I am not bound by calculation, order or reserve,

I am free to be chaotic, inspired and reckless.

I am not controlled by order, discipline or symmetry,

I am free to be spontaneous, impulsive and embarrassed.

I am not afraid of freedom, thought or intrusions,

I am strong,

I can heal,

I am free.

Being with good mental health, for me, is really very hard to explain
Without people understanding what bad mental health is like.
It’s not just about being happy, there’s more to it than that.

Good mental health is the absence of all those destructive thoughts
That make you think your every move is being watched;
That make you avoid going out in the fear that you will be judged.
It’s having the courage to drag yourself out of bed in the morning
To go get that bottle of milk that you have needed for 3 days,
But couldn’t.

It’s being able to talk to your family without getting angry,
Simply because they asked you if you were going out to see friends later.
Having good mental health is realising what and, most importantly, who
Is good for you, and having the sense to stay away from what’s bad.
It’s taking back the control you had misplaced and taking responsibility
For yourself.

Once it is within your grasp, you regain your clarity of mind
And you can finally start to work out what it is that YOU want to do.
You can work out what YOU truly believe and you can stand for it.
It’s accepting that you’re different and using that to your advantage;
That you ARE interesting and that you DO have something
Important to say.

Going from bad mental health to good mental health is rising like a phoenix – wait, no.
It’s like Athena rising, fully grown, with a new divine wisdom;
Armed and ready to fight anything that may stand in your way.

Hear that swish of a tail,

The buzz of a bee,

The post of the mail,

The sound of the sea,
Taste the salt in the rain,

The icing of cake,

The new harvested grain,

The chocolate milkshake,

See the birds in the sky,

The frost on the leaves,

The rivers running by,

The gently swaying trees,

Smell the freshly cut grass,

The seaweed on rocks,

The newly polished brass,

The den of a fox,

Feel that touch of a hand,

The kiss on a cheek,

The smoothness of the sand,

The mud under feet,

You are all these senses,

All that you do find,

Past, present, future tenses,

All part of your mind.

Jade collects a handmade hardback book

She will be presented with this at the House of Lords on the 1st May 2013

Congratulations from all of us at !!

Her work will feature in The Yellow Book going nationwide

Selected Poetry Entries for The Yellow Book please click the titles to view:

• I Feel Life – Ella Zellaby – Rochester Kent
• This World – Stephanie Rose – Bo’ness Scotland
• Lift Your Voice – David Holloway – Bedford
• Mirror – Saiqa Parveen – Halifax
• With Good Mental Health – Anne Broadbent – West Yorkshire
• Meandering – Peter McGrath – Essex
• Senses – Jade Tullet – Berkshire
• The Wren – Ian Curtress – Cheltenham
• Recovery – Lesley Burt – Dorset
• A Home in my Head – Karen Mason – Surrey
• Freedom is Ours – Gemma Rose – East Sussex
• Beauty – Debee Ebeneezer – Nottingham
• It is Ok – Suzanne Bate – Liverpool
• Happiness is Gratitude – Lisa Barry – Rhondda Cynon Taft
• I’ve Changed – Louise Gillett – Christchurch Dorset
• Sunny Side Up – Karim Harvey – London
• Proud to be me – Denise Claxton – Essex
• Daylight after Rain – John Campbell – London
• I Can See The Colour and I Can Feel The Sun – Elizabeth Aldous – Luton
• Free To Be Me – Diana Hayes – Abergavenny
• Bus Journey – Safoora Masood – Halifax
• There Once Was a Young Girl From Wales – Katy Young – Flintshire
• See the Flowers Beneath Your Feet – Anonymous
• I Know – Kauser Parveen – Halifax

Congratulations from all of us at !!

They called me ‘mental’, ‘mad’ and ‘trippy’

but they didn’t care to see 

to push past their own perceptions and learn about what was bothering me.

Never making the grade, never conforming to normality

I once considered it a curse

now I relise I am free.

I think and I feel

I experience pain

I reflect on my being through its joys and it shame.

I know myself through and through and

in this knowladge comes truth.

Never think your mad, never think your bad

never think your nothing

forgive yourself when you’re sad.

You feel therefore you live

You breathe therefore you are

A universe in a dream

Within dark forests you are a star. 

Mirror

I looked in the mirror for the first time
In years
I surveyed my face
Aged, tired, still supple
Every wrinkle told a story
I picked the jar of cream up
Read the label
Opened it
Applied the cream to my face
Carefully
First time
In years
I liked what I saw
I liked what I felt
I felt me again
I felt good

Saiqa collects an iPad and a handmade hardback book

She will be presented with these at the House of Lords on the 1st May 2013

Congratulations from all of us at !!

Her work will feature in the book going nationwide

Her poem will be recorded in spoken word to create the B-side to the refuge single release

We would like to say a huge thank you to Advance for generously donating the iPad prize

Selected Poetry Entries for The Yellow Book please click the titles to view:

• I Feel Life – Ella Zellaby – Rochester Kent
• This World – Stephanie Rose – Bo’ness Scotland
• Lift Your Voice – David Holloway – Bedford
• Mirror – Saiqa Parveen – Halifax
• With Good Mental Health – Anne Broadbent – West Yorkshire
• Meandering – Peter McGrath – Essex
• Senses – Jade Tullet – Berkshire
• The Wren – Ian Curtress – Cheltenham
• Recovery – Lesley Burt – Dorset
• A Home in my Head – Karen Mason – Surrey
• Freedom is Ours – Gemma Rose – East Sussex
• Beauty – Debee Ebeneezer – Nottingham
• It is Ok – Suzanne Bate – Liverpool
• Happiness is Gratitude – Lisa Barry – Rhondda Cynon Taft
• I’ve Changed – Louise Gillett – Christchurch Dorset
• Sunny Side Up – Karim Harvey – London
• Proud to be me – Denise Claxton – Essex
• Daylight after Rain – John Campbell – London
• I Can See The Colour and I Can Feel The Sun – Elizabeth Aldous – Luton
• Free To Be Me – Diana Hayes – Abergavenny
• Bus Journey – Safoora Masood – Halifax
• There Once Was a Young Girl From Wales – Katy Young – Flintshire
• See the Flowers Beneath Your Feet – Anonymous
• I Know – Kauser Parveen – Halifax

Congratulations from all of us at !!

When I am well
 
 
 
When I am well
I engage in life
When I am well
I comply with medication
When I am well
I get out of bed
When I am well
I eat better
When I am well
I sleep better
When I am well
I embrace life
When I am well
I am at peace with the world
 
 

 With good mental health I have….

‘To admit defeat,’ says the demon of depression,

‘I lived inside your body for so long,

You’d even forgotten that there was a real YOU underneath it all,

As long as you believed the lie I told, you thought YOU were a failure,

You were convinced YOU would never be good enough,

You felt YOU could never get out of the deep pit you were in’

And, you kept feeding me with more and more YOURSELF

Even your small setbacks seemed to be replayed inside your head a million times,

Till they felt like the biggest catastrophes,

You lost confidence in YOURSELF,

I made you believe that – that’s my job

The demon who feeds on human happiness.

You were wearing my glasses…

The kind that only let you see the rain and not the rainbow through it….

And, then, one day YOU made a choice to change

YOU started to attend therapy sessions,

Started to look for a place to anchor

Your faith, your long imprisoned talents,

I knew then that I was fighting a losing battle….

To my ‘You are not good enough’

YOU soon learnt the truth

YOU are good enough-

Good enough to be called

A caring friend, a helpful neighbour

A good human being….

The day you turned around and told me

There would be the rain…

But the important thing was to focus on the rainbow,

You had discovered the truth-

YOU had been put on earth for a purpose

YOU looked upward to renew your faith

YOU looked sideward to connect with old friends

YOU looked outward for a new hobby, a new job

YOU looked downward to encourage someone still in the depths of despair

YOU looked inward to find the real YOU.

I knew then you were on your road to recovery-

to having good mental health…

And, I knew that I couldn’t feed off you anymore…

There once was a young girl from Wales

Who had the wind knocked from her sails

She battled with wit

Refusing to quit

And now it is her that prevails!

She uses her humour to aid

All those who are starting to fade

From sadness and woes

And all inner foes

So that they’re no longer afraid.

With good mental health she has glee

And shares it with others for free

As she fully knows

About what the lows

Can do when you feel all at sea.

You’ll know who this young Welsh girl is

It wasn’t that hard of a quiz!

And with unique style

I’ve made others smile

Though I’m not a comedy-whiz!

My new plan in life is to write

And show others how they can fight

Their illness and pain

Until they can gain

A life that is joyful and bright!

So now that my life has a goal

I am the one who’s in control!

And so as I end

I wholly intend

To always stay mentally whole!

Katy collects a handmade hardback book

She will be presented with this at the House of Lords on the 1st May 2013

Congratulations from all of us at !!

Her work will feature in The Yellow Book going nationwide

Selected Poetry Entries for The Yellow Book please click the titles to view:

• I Feel Life – Ella Zellaby – Rochester Kent
• This World – Stephanie Rose – Bo’ness Scotland
• Lift Your Voice – David Holloway – Bedford
• Mirror – Saiqa Parveen – Halifax
• With Good Mental Health – Anne Broadbent – West Yorkshire
• Meandering – Peter McGrath – Essex
• Senses – Jade Tullet – Berkshire
• The Wren – Ian Curtress – Cheltenham
• Recovery – Lesley Burt – Dorset
• A Home in my Head – Karen Mason – Surrey
• Freedom is Ours – Gemma Rose – East Sussex
• Beauty – Debee Ebeneezer – Nottingham
• It is Ok – Suzanne Bate – Liverpool
• Happiness is Gratitude – Lisa Barry – Rhondda Cynon Taft
• I’ve Changed – Louise Gillett – Christchurch Dorset
• Sunny Side Up – Karim Harvey – London
• Proud to be me – Denise Claxton – Essex
• Daylight after Rain – John Campbell – London
• I Can See The Colour and I Can Feel The Sun – Elizabeth Aldous – Luton
• Free To Be Me – Diana Hayes – Abergavenny
• Bus Journey – Safoora Masood – Halifax
• There Once Was a Young Girl From Wales – Katy Young – Flintshire
• See the Flowers Beneath Your Feet – Anonymous
• I Know – Kauser Parveen – Halifax

Congratulations from all of us at !!

I breathe in the beauty of a summer breeze,

watch the sun catch diamonds in rustling leaves;

feel strong in body and frame of mind,

relish the laughter lightening my life.

And if worries lean on me when I wake,

I know I can cope, that I’ll be okay;

with good mental health I have

trust in others and belief in myself.

I look forward to what

each day has in store

and feel blessed to have

all these things … and more.

Anne Broadbent

Anne collects a handmade hardback book

She will be presented with this at the House of Lords on the 1st May 2013

Congratulations from all of us at !!

Her work will feature in The Yellow Book going nationwide

Selected Poetry Entries for The Yellow Book please click the titles to view:

• I Feel Life – Ella Zellaby – Rochester Kent
• This World – Stephanie Rose – Bo’ness Scotland
• Lift Your Voice – David Holloway – Bedford
• Mirror – Saiqa Parveen – Halifax
• With Good Mental Health – Anne Broadbent – West Yorkshire
• Meandering – Peter McGrath – Essex
• Senses – Jade Tullet – Berkshire
• The Wren – Ian Curtress – Cheltenham
• Recovery – Lesley Burt – Dorset
• A Home in my Head – Karen Mason – Surrey
• Freedom is Ours – Gemma Rose – East Sussex
• Beauty – Debee Ebeneezer – Nottingham
• It is Ok – Suzanne Bate – Liverpool
• Happiness is Gratitude – Lisa Barry – Rhondda Cynon Taft
• I’ve Changed – Louise Gillett – Christchurch Dorset
• Sunny Side Up – Karim Harvey – London
• Proud to be me – Denise Claxton – Essex
• Daylight after Rain – John Campbell – London
• I Can See The Colour and I Can Feel The Sun – Elizabeth Aldous – Luton
• Free To Be Me – Diana Hayes – Abergavenny
• Bus Journey – Safoora Masood – Halifax
• There Once Was a Young Girl From Wales – Katy Young – Flintshire
• See the Flowers Beneath Your Feet – Anonymous
• I Know – Kauser Parveen – Halifax

Congratulations from all of us at !!

With good mental health I have…

Clarity of mind

A deep insight

Feeling fine

My path is set out

As clear as can be

The clouds disappear

And I can finally see

Doubts are not disabling

Fear goes away

I wake up with joy

Eager to greet each day

With good mental health

I have a feeling of calm

I know I will succeed

I know I will not harm

Myself and those I love.

With good mental health

The world is full

Of achievable dreams

Of magnificent schemes

That will benefit me

 And everyone.

© Anne-Teresa Michaels, 2013-01-16

Love is such a powerful gift
That can start with a smile
A hug or a kiss
Its a bonding and trust
Of compassion and care
That is deep in the heart
Of two people that share

Its to think or be thought of
Give help never short of
Sometimes a surprise
Always truth and no lies

Like a magical dream
somewhere great we have been
Very hard to describe
Try to show and not hide

To live or to die for
Try see eye to eye for
Be happy or cry for
And more and much more

The one thing we all need
To be strong and proceed
The more love that we give
The more love we recieve xxxx

By richard bennett

With good mental health I have……….

Colour in my world

Feeling in my body

A spring in my step

A twinkle in my eye

 A future I can see

Dreams I can reach

A person I can be…

I have hope in my heart

With good mental health I have peace, not strife.

I’m happy for once in my life!

My mind’s a safe haven that’s void of pain

And still I have lots more to gain!

Some years ago I was fearful inside

Regardless of how hard I tried

And so I sought help and then I gained ground.

Just look at the peace I have found!

Many good changes, where should I begin?

I have these new feelings within!

Rarely do I stress, I can relax now.

I’m happy, serene and here’s how:

I spoke to the doctor telling her all.

She listened; It didn’t appall.

I got further help but waited a while 

And afterwards I can now smile!

I’m much stronger now but not perfect yet!

But this doesn’t cause me to fret

Because who is perfect? I’m know I’m not!

Instead I’m content with my lot.

Skills I have learned make me braver each day

And though there’ll be toil on the way

I’m ready for battles! Ready for war!

Bring it on! I’ll settle the score!

I try helping others to help me too.

Together, we’ll all make it through

And as a result, I now have a goal

To help others make themselves whole.

So if you need help your first step should be

To visit your doctor or see

What other support can help you nearby

Until you can lift your head high!

No matter how awful you feel inside

Or how much support you have tried

You’re not beyond help, no one is, it’s true

All darkness can be broken through.

I broke through darkness and now I convey

Ways to fight your illness away.

I only do this through good mental health

So join me with great mental wealth!

It is ok

to have a bad day

to feel sad and down

and want to cry and frown

It is ok

to have a good day

to be happy and bright

from morning until night

It is ok

to have a mixed day

to have mixed moods and feelings

just to get through your dealings

It is ok

to live every day

from January to December

you are important remember

It is ok

whatever the day

be kind to yourself

and look after your mental health

It will be ok

Suzanne collects a handmade hardback book

She will be presented with this at the House of Lords on the 1st May 2013

Congratulations from all of us at !!

Her work will feature in The Yellow Book going nationwide

Selected Poetry Entries for The Yellow Book please click the titles to view:

• I Feel Life – Ella Zellaby – Rochester Kent
• This World – Stephanie Rose – Bo’ness Scotland
• Lift Your Voice – David Holloway – Bedford
• Mirror – Saiqa Parveen – Halifax
• With Good Mental Health – Anne Broadbent – West Yorkshire
• Meandering – Peter McGrath – Essex
• Senses – Jade Tullet – Berkshire
• The Wren – Ian Curtress – Cheltenham
• Recovery – Lesley Burt – Dorset
• A Home in my Head – Karen Mason – Surrey
• Freedom is Ours – Gemma Rose – East Sussex
• Beauty – Debee Ebeneezer – Nottingham
• It is Ok – Suzanne Bate – Liverpool
• Happiness is Gratitude – Lisa Barry – Rhondda Cynon Taft
• I’ve Changed – Louise Gillett – Christchurch Dorset
• Sunny Side Up – Karim Harvey – London
• Proud to be me – Denise Claxton – Essex
• Daylight after Rain – John Campbell – London
• I Can See The Colour and I Can Feel The Sun – Elizabeth Aldous – Luton
• Free To Be Me – Diana Hayes – Abergavenny
• Bus Journey – Safoora Masood – Halifax
• There Once Was a Young Girl From Wales – Katy Young – Flintshire
• See the Flowers Beneath Your Feet – Anonymous
• I Know – Kauser Parveen – Halifax

Congratulations from all of us at !!

With good mental health I have,

Everything.

The sun can shine at night.

Dreams are free to chase the days

And days are free to chase the dream.

No longer fearful but fearless.

Silence is a blanket I rest easy in. No more will I kick off the sheets;

Anything to make a noise,

Anything to be heard.

‘Alone’ is a lonely island, on which I no longer live.

My horizon grew bigger, the view stretches wider than I could ever have hoped.

With good mental health I have found all of these things and more.

I have found you.

I have found me.

I am beginning to love myself

I am beginning to like myself

Accepting my flaws

Acknowledge my faults

To look around

To see that I am not alone

To reach out

For help

Instead of living in the shadows

On a good day, i dont ask for perfection.

I dont ask for emotional balance or the patience to deal with my problems.

On a good day, i dont ask for the support of my familiy.

I don’t ask for the compassion and understanding of others, and I dont try to fit in.

On a good day, i simply am.

A sentient passenger on a  on a journey of immesurable complexity and distance.

On a good day, i help others achieve perfection.

I help others to handle their emotions and take on their problems one by one.

On a good day, i reciprocate the tender love of those cloest to me.

I teach others the virtue of compassion and the empowerment of indaviduality..
 

With good mental health

I have the ability to cope with all that life throws in my path.

The strength to fight for what I know is right.

The will to carry on in all situations.

And faith in my fellow man.

A healthy body that’s good and strong

I now recognise the pain

That leads to it wrong

A healthy mind that knows itself

Memories in files

Not sitting on shelves

A social life with friends profuse

A forgiving heart

No room for abuse

A spiritual flight with no ceiling to thwart

Higher and higher

With good care and support

SILVER LININGS

I opened windows,

saw silver linings,

the sky brightening.

I knocked on the door of the day.

In its new frame of mind

it didn’t turn me away;

it pulled up a chair

and asked me to stay.

I took control,

I walked tall.

I had faith

in what I was worth.

I have peace.

I am safe.

I am me.

I am happy.

Anne Broadbent

With good mental health I have,

A better understanding of my world.

I have a clearer vision of my world,

I feel like I can see with both my eyes.

The world is a yellow place,

Instead of a black one.

Back in the days gone by when I was shy,

I beheld you in the distance,

Close up even more beautiful,

But I daren’t even say hello.

Acollades now without a show,

Just gets on and helps me,

Always on time, just a dime,

She’s my pretty penny.

She doesn’t even hear a word,

But does exactly as I say,

Prompt and reads my heart and mind,

And the result is always kind.

Totally and utterly reliable,

My constant companion to be,

Strong in love, and feared by all,

A slip of a thing and so pretty.

Dilligence is on your side,

Won’t leave a stone unturned,

Thoroughly sorted, done and dusted,

Restored and my best friend.

You’re the first always,

Without you I’d be gone

So I sing this song of true love to you,

My closest and so strong.

With good mental health I have
 
Embraced the world I left behind
when lost in darkness of my mind
Eyes now open and I see
beckoning weeping willow tree
With golden glowing moon on high
I dance neath starlit spangled sky
 
Time flies past and I find
life is lovely, people kind
Fighting negativity is the key
setting myself forever free
Unshackled then I aim to fly
for dreams reborn will ne’er die

The rise and smile of schizophrenia

Where the Doctor lends a hand

Sunny side up

The vibes of those integral bells

Waves crashing resplendent in stocking feet

The curling of her windswept hair

The sun shines far from autumn’s grief

My miracle of improvers

From those quiet whispers now quelled in my recovery

The chocolate brownie that does not make me fat

The OT’s speckled paint that drips on the paper was fun

Sunny side up

The rise and smile of my sweet love

With good mental health I have

Life itself

Sunny side up

by Karim Harvey

Karim collects a handmade hardback book

He will be presented with this at the House of Lords on the 1st May 2013

Congratulations from all of us at !!

His work will feature in The Yellow Book going nationwide

Selected Poetry Entries for The Yellow Book please click the titles to view:

• I Feel Life – Ella Zellaby – Rochester Kent
• This World – Stephanie Rose – Bo’ness Scotland
• Lift Your Voice – David Holloway – Bedford
• Mirror – Saiqa Parveen – Halifax
• With Good Mental Health – Anne Broadbent – West Yorkshire
• Meandering – Peter McGrath – Essex
• Senses – Jade Tullet – Berkshire
• The Wren – Ian Curtress – Cheltenham
• Recovery – Lesley Burt – Dorset
• A Home in my Head – Karen Mason – Surrey
• Freedom is Ours – Gemma Rose – East Sussex
• Beauty – Debee Ebeneezer – Nottingham
• It is Ok – Suzanne Bate – Liverpool
• Happiness is Gratitude – Lisa Barry – Rhondda Cynon Taft
• I’ve Changed – Louise Gillett – Christchurch Dorset
• Sunny Side Up – Karim Harvey – London
• Proud to be me – Denise Claxton – Essex
• Daylight after Rain – John Campbell – London
• I Can See The Colour and I Can Feel The Sun – Elizabeth Aldous – Luton
• Free To Be Me – Diana Hayes – Abergavenny
• Bus Journey – Safoora Masood – Halifax
• There Once Was a Young Girl From Wales – Katy Young – Flintshire
• See the Flowers Beneath Your Feet – Anonymous
• I Know – Kauser Parveen – Halifax

Congratulations from all of us at !!

I am upbeat

Can you distil that as a drink

It is Champagne

I am happy in a crowd

Can I feed the five thousand with fishes

I am rewarded

Can I shine as bright as a new penny

Or will I give my fortune away to charity

I am filled with optimism

You will be my bride as I awake

I am brimming over

Can I smile even more

It has been proved possible

Because today is a good day

I am well

Karim Harvey

With Good Mental Health I have……

Embarked upon a sea of discovery

Elected to travel to distant lands

Enrolled in college, challenged

Entered the  literary world

Enriched my life and opened…….

A cabinet of wonder in which I house

Howling huskies midnight blues

growling runners on silver lakes with

sparkling snow dressed branches and

glowing fires midst Northern Lights.

Wordsworths dancing daffodils

stretching sun drawn golden heads

reflections mirrored in waters deep.

Amazonian bugs bouncing among

mighty moonstruck moths flying

midst tiny black bats gliding.

Sceat of crushed roses distilling

aromatically and my collection of

curiousities from life’s myraid maze.

 Will be infinite……………….

With good mental health

I can be strong

And throughout my life

I’ll get along

With my therapists help

I’ll push on through

Leave behind old memories

And look to the new

With good mental health

I’ll be the best I can be

I’ll move on and grow up

And be a whole new me

I hope to inspire

And bring light to a friend

For if it’s not okay

Then it’s not the end

This is dedicated to my older sister (20), Rebecca Jackson, who struggles with her mental health everyday.

I’m on the hunt today

A will to get up

A purpose to fill

A swing in my step

No need to take a pill.

I smell the bright flowers

I see all the trees

The joys of the world

Are all open to me.

The goals that I set

I achieve with much ease

They’re all within my grasp

If I please.