Madness Left Me One Morning

Madness left me one morning
Half asleep, I heard it leave
With the sound
Of a door softly closing

I woke to sunlight and freedom

Madness said no farewell
Why should it tarry?
It left as it arrived
Untamed, unheralded

Willpower failed
I was helpless prey

I raged against my lodger
For at random intervals
Without warning
It took control

Did the world know?
I suspect not
Madness was clever enough
To leave me free rein
In areas that served it well

Madness chose not to interfere
In my job, my health, my house
All the things it needed
To sustain me
While it fed

Appetite sated, madness moved on

I should be thankful
And yet

I miss
Anticipation
Exhilaration
Subjugation
Release

Freedom has its price

East Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Madeleine McDonald lives on the east coast of England, where the wind whistles up through the floorboards. She writes newspaper columns, short stories and poetry. Her third novel, A Shackled Inheritance,was published in 2016, www.amazon.com/dp/B01BBCBX38.