My mind;
taken hostage
by my own obsessions and
compulsions

this was my favourite line in the poem. I love how u hav expressed ur words in this piee. Good work.

What a great poem. You always manage to impress me with your work. I think your a good poet who is consistant and always manages to make a great read.

Loved it

5/5

Amazing marvelously done and written greatly shown with fantastic wording,,u r a great poet and I love all ur work :) 5/5

Liz.. you don't know how much this impacted me..
I didn't know what OCD means until now, well I know it in Arabic language but not in English.... At times, I think I relate to this problem, too... I keep on tracing every word I write so many times, and also check for everything I do.. twice, three times.. four... I know it kills me sometimes, and it really hurts.
I love how you've written that, and you poured your heart out on each line. The number '6' I think it means how many times you check for things? I wasn't aware totally of the importance of OCD... until now, yes!
I know how you feel, believe me... and as ur saying in ur profile, you write to overcome this problem, so just keep on writing... keep on writing... I love your writes. You are amazing, and your pieces are more.
Love ~ abed.

I think the poem is a wonderful portrayal of the depth of OCD. It isn't just that you have to lock and unlock the door six times when you come home or when you leave. It isn't just having to wash your hands six times or turn the light on and off so many times. It's an actual struggle, a need to do something, or else the world isn't right. it's a way of maintaining the world's balance. You're a slave to the compulsions. For different people it is different things. But for some people it is actually dibilitating. It affects their everyday lives and how they live them. And for some it gets so bad they cannot function. I think you did a wonderful job portraying this in the poem. Explaining how the number six weaves through your mind causing you to think of all these bad things that might happen if you don't obey her rules and repeat things 6 times. I think you made the persona of how some people find numbers to be a comfort with OCD quite real, but also showed the darker side of how that comfort comes at a high price. And how their soul is not their own when they are struggling with OCD.

I cannot stop reading this..
You're one heck of a woman, and you deserve everything beautiful in life :)

Awesome piece Liz.Be strong.

This is such a heartbreaking write, and I really begin to see this not only as something you struggle with, but protraying how it takes the strength from you, you make it vivid and frightening how real it is for you.

Keep hope- don't forget you are strong too :)

Wonderfullly written,
MaryAnne

I woke up with yesterday's thoughts -
still lingering
in my head
^ I think that this is an interesting introductory stanza because the reader gets placed into a specific atmosphere right away. You do not describe a specific scenery, but it rather feels like you put the reader right there. I actually wondered what "yesterday's thoughts" were. Obviously it was something that bothered you, that is why you thought about it yesterday and you did not find a solution for it yet either, that's why they're still in your mind.

Like the aura of
Magnolia Blossoms

Only less sweet
^ Magnolia is a summer flower sometimes even evergreen, with huge blooms, which somehow represents quite some power, which basicially underlines how much this bothers you. Basicially it feels right, but you know it's not, that why you decided to use this simile, but state that it's less sweet.

Haunted by The Number Six -
she wreaks havoc
amongst my vigorous
imagination
^ When I first read this poem I was wondering what the meaning of number six is, at least in this context, you had me thinking for quite a while, but I did not manage to come to a logical solution, that's why I am quite glad you gave a hint with your note.
It was obvious though that this number is meaningful to you, otherwise you wouldn't have captivated the letters.

Yet...

I cannot let her go

Following her like a stalker;
hiding behind the justification

that I am not crazy
^ Very powerful lines, that captivated me even more, they show that there are always two sides to the coin.

Consequences of -
devestating magnitude
if I neglect to abide by
her rules

My mind;
taken hostage
by my own obsessions and
compulsions

I am both the executioner
and the victim

of myself.
^ I do not know, but the last three verses were my personal favorite part of your whole poem because they tie it all together and underline your feelings so very well. You know seem to know that this is "not good" (though I do not even really like to say tha)?, if I may say that, but yet it is so tough for you to overcome because it's a part of who you are afterall.

Definately a powerful poem, with heartfelt emotion. I hope it doesn't control you too much dear.

/I cannot let her go

Following her like a stalker;
hiding behind the justification

// yeah this is exactly how OCD is ... like stalker, and no matter ho much you justify the fact, it's still something you want to get rid of.

/I am both the executioner
and the victim

of myself.
// this made so much sense after I read the note. I could never have said it better.

This is the first time I am reading a poem on OCD :) it's brilliant.

So well written, with touching humility.

I have to say that it needs a lot of courage to even recognize that one has a problem like OCD.

Compulsiveness in us is the seeker for perfection, the superego that keeps us chasing our ideological goals, the consciense that keeps us from running out of control, and the driver to achievements that makes great poets, artists, scientists and more in this world.
Without a compulsive mind, we would have little incentive to stay on task, complete our work, keep our home clean or seeking out what we desire in life.

Famous people (Beethoven, Michelangelo, Albert Einstein, Michael Jackson, and more) in this world would not have been famous if they did not have this God given driver (compulsiveness) in them.

Obsessions/obsessiveness is the tormentor in us, of imperfections, a creator of doubts and sometimes a breaker of love and relationships. Looking back each time to see if we did the task right or be the worry wart can really take the toll on our mind. Only if we can check the obsessions somehow, can we be victorious with OCD. Yes, it can be overcome (with a little help from modern medicine). So good luck, and think of Michelangelo in your creative imagination, always.
Loved your inspired imagination in words here.

So well written, with touching humility.

I have to say that it needs a lot of courage to even recognize that one has a problem like OCD.

Compulsiveness in us is the seeker for perfection, the superego that keeps us chasing our ideological goals, the consciense that keeps us from running out of control, and the driver to achievements that makes great poets, artists, scientists and more in this world.
Without a compulsive mind, we would have little incentive to stay on task, complete our work, keep our home clean or seeking out what we desire in life.

Famous people (Beethoven, Michelangelo, Albert Einstein, Michael Jackson, and more) in this world would not have been famous if they did not have this God given driver (compulsiveness) in them.

Obsessions/obsessiveness is the tormentor in us, of imperfections, a creator of doubts and sometimes a breaker of love and relationships. Looking back each time to see if we did the task right or be the worry wart can really take the toll on our mind. Only if we can check the obsessions somehow, can we be victorious with OCD. Yes, it can be overcome (with a little help from modern medicine). So good luck, and think of Michelangelo in your creative imagination, always.
Loved your inspired imagination in words here.

This is powerful and well written . It helps me deal with my own affliction

Powerful and hypnotic. It really drew me in and made me want to continue reading. well worth it. thanks for sharing

This is one of the most sad poems, yet strongest ones Ive seen.
I have never read poems that enfolds both weakness and strengths!
the strength to admit, face, and the dare to struggle,
the weakness of not being able to fight it,
the weakness of being controlled by it.
and oh your lines how beautiful liz..So beautiful!

Like the aura of
Magnolia Blossoms

Only less sweet

^

this was striking, was so strong
so powerful and so unique!
only less sweett...how deep and expressive!

Yet... (this made things exciting, tempting, but in a sad voice)

I cannot let her go
^
had goosebumps!

that I am not crazy
^
here, you've caught my whole concentration
and heart! shows how much it effects you
how much it hurts you.
This is so sad!

devestating magnitude

^^
I think you mean "devastating"

Your closing lines were very sad, I had a lump in my throat.
Sucha hard situation that you have turned into a poem
that no only added a new purpose ffor poetry
but a different taste too!

hats off!

I woke up with yesterday's thoughts -
still lingering
in my head

^I liked how you started this off, so many ways to carry on from this, so leaves the reader wanting to know the meaning behind this

Like the aura of
Magnolia Blossoms

Only less sweet

^We get the impression here that yesterday was not all too good, and there are bitter resentments of the past day

Haunted by The Number Six -
she wreaks havoc
amongst my vigorous
imagination

Yet...

I cannot let her go

^I love how you added personification here, given the number 6 a persona, and I love how it was female, I guessed here that this what about a part of yourself you weren't content with and wanted to free yourself from

Following her like a stalker;
hiding behind the justification

that I am not crazy

^The question of this, you are questioning whether you are crazy, not wanting to say you are but not sure if you are not, following behind who you really are or want to be

Consequences of -
devestating magnitude
if I neglect to abide by
her rules

My mind;
taken hostage
by my own obsessions and
compulsions

^These made me think that you were talking about OCD with the words rules, obsessions and compulsions, I like how you worded these stanza's

I am both the executioner
and the victim

of myself

^What a powerful ending, and my thoughts were confirmed by the note at the end

The flow in thbis piece was perfect, and I loved reading this for the content, because it's not something written about much that I have seen

Very well done,
love
xxx

I am both the executioner
and the victim

of myself
^^
WoW Liz. I have to admit this is one of the sadest poems I ever read. Knowing that you have the power over yourself, still you cant do anything about it.

Well expressed, directly understood, and deep .. Very deep and personal.

Great job.

This is extremely a powerful write
very sad yeah, and with a very sad story to share and tell, I really drifted upon guessing exactly what the content of this poem is about while I read it, but when you've mentioned OCD It kind of made perfect sense, everything was very powerful and spilled with emotions
I really love the way you began the poem with mentioning how you've woke up with the thoughts of yesterday, I know the feeling and I can almost relate to it fully, Also the end, The way you've ended it with a contradictory image really did it for me
this deserves no less than 5/5
a huge applause and a very worthy nomination
a winner in my book.

Wow, this poem is so deep and powerful... it really affected me as I read it...

It was sad, painful, but there was a hint of strength in it, showing how you will continue to fight it.

I like how you referred to your OCD as a "she" and you refer to it as her throughout the poem, it made me wonder who it was...

These parts were my favorite, so powerful and raw...

My mind;
taken hostage
by my own obsessions and
compulsions

I am both the executioner
and the victim

of myself

>> the part about being the executioner and the victim, I mean wow! You wrote about this in such a unique and touching way...
in a few ways, it reminded me of my poem "Complex" a little bit!

Amazing poem hon...

The last three lines just kill me every time I re-read this!