Mental Illness Book Report (#34)

The following poem is a "Found Poem" developed from chapter entitled, "First, Best Destiny," from the novel Darius the Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram. The chapter was the most powerful in terms of the plot because it is the chapter in which the main character, Darius, has both a heart-to-heart with his father, Stephen Kellner, and with himself. The conflicts in this book were Man vs. Family and Man vs. Self, yet everything was resolved in this chapter regarding those dilemmas. 

The Final, Best Slingshot Maneuver

How had Stephen Kellner located me?

How had he hoisted himself up

sat down beside me

so close, our elbows bumped? 

Depression is anger turned inward,

and my chest was about to explode

annihilating everything nearby.

I couldn't let Stephen Kellner see me cry. 

So, why

Had Stephen Kellner located me? 

"Don't cry, Darius."

"Being your dad is my first, best destiny."

"I'm so sorry, son. I love you so much."

"You're okay."

"It's okay to not be okay."

How had Stephen Kellner located me? 

Maybe

There were no walls between us. 

Maybe

Suicide isn't the only way

you can lose someone to depression.