Today, I bring you my poem ‘Depression and his Death’.

Research suggests that one in four persons in his/her lifetime suffers from a mental health problem. The severity of the problem is large. However, we do not tend to take this very seriously.

I would like to dedicate this poem to all those who have gone through this disease which kills one’s self and spirit. Let’s try to be kinder to people with Mental Health problems.

Depression & his death

– Dr. Sangita Swechcha

Seeing him laugh

life would find a new meaning.

However, that laughter–

just was a cloak

to wrap his interminable agony,

and a masquerade

to appease himself of his melancholy.

I have seen him die–

not once or twice

but countless times.

Because–

this was a death

of his inner self

of his spirit and his soul.

In the name of living life

he perished every day.

And with a faded hope of recovery

he woke up again quavering.

Likewise

he succumbed to myriad deaths

at the brutal pangs of despair.

Probably he had forgotten

living his life.

Illustration: Rhoslyn Singh

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Translated from Nepali to English by Jayant Sharma. 

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Presented by Dr Sangita Swechcha

Dr Sangita Swechcha is a Communications Professional, Researcher, and a Fiction writer. She has over 15 years of experience in international communications and media relations. She is a Guest Editor for Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (GLLI) and coordinating ‘Nepali Literature month’ – November 2019. She is a novelist and a writer who has written a novel ‘Pakhalieko Siundo’, a joint collection of stories ‘Asahamatika Pailaharu’ and a collection of short stories ‘Gulafsangako Prem’ in Nepali.

Forthcoming in English translations in 2020 in e-book formats first: A novel ‘Pakhalieko Siundo’ and a collection of short stories ‘Gulafsangako Prem’, titled in English as ‘The Rose: An Unusual Love Story’ (looking for international publisher/s for publishing print versions of these books). Her twitter handle: SangyShrestha. Email: sangyshrestha@hotmail.com Connect on Facebook.