Like clockwork, my mood shifts as the night appears.

This rocky marriage of moon and mood has plagued me since I was just a boy.

Joy evaporates, and my mind prepares for war,

to fight these invisible, familiar, and persistent monsters.

They never miss their appointment, forever consistent.

Unfortunately, I know their presence—never original.

They attack my body through my shoulders, pinning me to the bed.

They poison my mind with whispers of doom, making it hard to see the light.

They pierce my soul through the cracks of my heart, drowning out the remnants of hope I built during the day.

Like clockwork, my mood shifts as the night appears.

This rocky marriage of moon and mood has plagued me since I was just a boy.

I scroll through my affirmations, praying this is the day I escape this routine.

But today is not the day. Still, I feel it will come soon.

For now, I’ll take my prescribed dosage and remind myself that these monsters are more annoying companions than a reflection of my full self.

I have tomorrow to look forward to, and I pray for sun.