Putting this poem out there makes me nervous. I wrote most of it over a year ago when I realized I needed to go back on antidepressants, which was (at the time) heartbreaking and shameful for me (because the depression told me to be ashamed). And I’ve always wanted to go back and edit it but it was too important to me so I put it off until now. Maybe I’ll keep editing even after I post it.

This poem stems from a specific experience but I realized that it has happened a few times in my life and now I’ll finally recognize it for what it is. And for that I really am grateful.

–the violet zoo