Black Dog

mindshare was recipient of Arts SA’s Strategic Community Partnership: Community Grant for 2014 working with the Media Resource Centre and Access 2 Arts. As part of this project mindshare invited poets, writers and individuals with lived experience of a mental health issue to submit poetry to a competition called When words come to life.

Our judge Jude Aquilina then selected 8 poems from a diverse range of applicants which were turned into digital stories during a workshop run by the Media Resource Centre.

J.V. Birch was one of the selected poets with her poem ‘Black Dog’, this is her story.

Black dog by Julie V. Birch
we all have them.
Mine snores soft in my ear
when he’s not whining that is
or needs to be fed.

We used to go for long walks
several miles a day
chasing rabbits and bees
(and that was just me, ha!).

Now he won’t even go out
just hangs round my neck
like some charity scarf
everyone strokes but won’t take.

I’m hoping he’ll let go soon
give me a breather
go find the things I keep losing
bury the stuff that I can’t.

by J.V. Birch
Part of the When words come to life competition 2014