the house with every light on
The story
this poem will be about my struggles with adhd
I hope you enjoy and pls lmk what you think
My mind is a house with every light on,
but the wiring is wrong.
Current jumps the walls.
The air buzzes even when I’m still.
Thoughts move like fireworks down the hallway—
no order,
no warning,
just flashes and echoes and aftermath.
I reach for one
and three more grab my sleeve,
each convinced it’s urgent,
each forgetting why it came.
Some days the noise grows too large for the rooms.
It presses outward,
paces the floorboards,
rattles the windows from the inside.
My body learns the exits first—
a flick of the hand,
a sharp blink,
a sudden shudder like static shaking free.
Small movements.
Necessary ones.
The storm grounding itself
so the house doesn’t split apart.
I don’t choose the spill.
It comes when the walls start breathing,
when thought piles on thought
until there’s no oxygen left.
My body reacts before I can ask it to—
a sharp jolt,
a break in the rhythm,
like something clawing its way out
because staying inside would be worse.
It isn’t release so much as survival.
Energy tearing a seam in the dark,
lightning striking downward
so it doesn’t turn inward.
I let it happen
because holding it all
feels like suffocating quietly.
Time behaves strangely here.
It leaks through my fingers,
slips under doors,
vanishes the moment I look directly at it.
Clocks stare like witnesses.
I apologise to them anyway.
Memory is a hallway with missing doors—
names hovering just out of reach,
sentences dissolving halfway spoken.
I step over the gaps,
pretend I meant to forget,
pretend it doesn’t follow me.
Some days my head is a carnival after dark—
lights too bright,
rides spinning too fast,
music overlapping until it sharpens.
I want to leave.
I want quiet.
But the ticket never tears
and the gates stay open.
Then comes the other kind of heavy.
Not loud—
dull.
A dimming after the surge.
Rooms go dark one by one.
Ideas slump in their chairs,
still breathing
but too tired to stand.
This is the exhaustion that doesn’t ask permission.
The kind rest doesn’t solve.
Bone-deep.
Sticky.
Like gravity turning personal.
My body stays still
while my mind keeps running,
burning energy it no longer has.
I stare at things I love
and feel only the weight of them.
Even stillness hums.
Even silence costs something.
And yet—
I find colours hiding in ordinary days.
Stories stitched between unrelated things.
Patterns where chaos pretends to be random.
My mind builds bridges instinctively,
even when I don’t know where they lead.
Ideas love me recklessly.
They arrive in crowds,
talk over one another,
leave without warning—
but for a moment
they make me feel infinite.
When focus finds me,
it grabs hard.
The world blurs.
Hours collapse into a single breath.
I forget to eat,
forget to move,
forget everything except the fire
and the way it finally listens.
I change my mind often
because every idea feels true
until the next one opens its mouth.
I am loyal to the moment,
not the map.
Some days I am exhaustion wrapped in motion.
Some days I am brilliance scattered across the floor.
Most days
I am both at once.
I am not broken.
I am not unfinished.
I am living inside a system turned up too loud—
one that shakes,
that spills,
that wears me thin,
but also sees more than it destroys.
This is what it’s like
to carry lightning in your pockets—
to learn when to release it,
when to rest,
and when to let it burn bright enough
to become light
Stories in the same category
Points of view
This poem beautifully captures the essence of living with ADHD; it's almost like painting a vivid picture of an internal chaos that many might not fully understand. The metaphors you use, especially comparing your mind to a house and a carnival, effectively illustrate the constant push and pull between energy and exhaustion. It's such a powerful depiction that highlights both the challenges and the unique strengths gained from navigating this whirlwind of thoughts and emotions ❤️
Man, the way you've described ADHD is on point. It's like living in a constant state of overdrive and burnout all at once; I totally get that feeling. The 'carnival after dark' bit really hit home—captures the sensory overload perfectly while still finding those bright spots amidst the chaos.
this poem, while beautifully crafted, seems to amplify the struggles of living with adhd a bit excessively; it's like focusing too much on the chaos and not enough on how individuals can thrive despite it. sure, adhd has its challenges, but there's also resilience and adaptability that often come with it... finding ways to harness those 'fireworks' into something constructive can be incredibly rewarding!
in my experience, ADHD is like trying to navigate a maze with flickering lights and shifting walls, unpredictable yet mesmerizing at the same time; one moment you're overwhelmed by the cacophony of thoughts, and the next you find yourself lost in a hyper-focus that burns through hours unnoticed—your poem resonates deeply with this duality.
While your poem is indeed evocative in its portrayal of ADHD, I find myself slightly skeptical about the romanticized view it presents. Is it truly as vibrant and chaotic, akin to carrying lightning in one's pockets??? 🤔 The challenges you describe seem overwhelming, yet the resolution feels somewhat idealized. In my experience with mental health struggles, there's a certain mundanity that isn't always brightened by moments of clarity or creativity. Your imagery is compelling but perhaps glosses over the difficult reality for those who may not find such poetic solace.
Wow, I totally feel what you're saying!!! The way you describe your mind as this wild but beautiful storm gives such a deep insight into the ADHD experience. It's like you've painted this incredible picture of the chaos and creativity living side by side — it must be so intense! It really sounds like navigating that kind of whirlwind is both exhausting and invigorating, kind of like a tightrope walker dancing through lightning ⚡. Your words give life to this struggle in such a relatable way; it's truly eye-opening.
Your poem is visually and emotionally arresting, but I wonder if it leans too heavily on the chaos of ADHD without also highlighting enough of the adaptive strategies that people often develop; It feels like there's a constantly looming storm, rather than moments of calm or mastery over those surges. Perhaps emphasizing more on the balance you achieve could add depth to this exploration. Your vivid imagery paints a compelling narrative though—it just might benefit from showing how you work with the energy and find moments where it all comes together.
yo, this poem legit encapsulates the rollercoaster that is ADHD; it’s like living with a brain high on caffeine 24/7 🙃. love how you nailed the feeling of your mind racing with ideas, even when you're exhausted—it's such a real struggle. but you also gotta appreciate those moments where everything just clicks and you feel unstoppable; that's some next-level superpower stuff. this piece doesn't shy away from the chaos, which is refreshing and bold; gives hope to folks battling similar battles. keep channeling that energy into creativity, you've got something special here!
honestly, the poem paints a really intense picture of living with ADHD, but I wonder if it makes it sound more romantic than it actually feels day-to-day??? like, sure, there's some creativity and brilliance that come along, but what about the everyday struggles and mundane stuff you have to push through? it's not always fireworks or storms; sometimes it's just trying to get through the day without losing your keys for the umpteenth time. have you ever thought about how those small, annoying moments fit into this larger narrative you've painted?
Hmm, while your poem beautifully captures the chaos of ADHD, it also seems to emphasize the turbulence more than the small victories and moments of peace that people with ADHD manage to carve out; real life isn't just about stormy skies but those clear days too when everything aligns even if just for a moment 🌈.
Your poem wonderfully encapsulates the essence of navigating life with ADHD, portraying both its tumult and brilliance. The imagery of carrying "lightning in your pockets" is particularly striking—it suggests a sense of raw power that can be harnessed for extraordinary creativity. I'm curious about how you channel this formidable energy into productive endeavors amidst the chaos. Do you find specific techniques or practices help balance this dynamic mental landscape?
your poem offers a compelling glimpse into the ADHD experience!
Wow!
This poem hits hard!! Your words capture the whirlwind of ADHD with such intensity and depth. I love how you highlight the dual nature of it: the chaos and creativity, but also that heavy exhaustion that hangs around. It's like you're showing both sides of a coin ✨. Your ability to find beauty amidst the chaos speaks volumes about resilience—it's inspiring! Keep embracing those moments where ideas flow freely; they truly make life electrifying!!
truly, this poem artfully crafts the incessant tumult inherent in living with ADHD, but let's not overlook the potential pitfalls of overly romanticizing such an experience. while you depict a vivid canvas teeming with brilliance and chaos, one might question whether it accurately reflects the perpetual low-level frustration that accompanies those erratic bursts of energy. having lived through similar experiences myself, i can relate to the profound sense of disarray when thoughts cascade uncontrollably like a rapid current—yet i wonder if emphasizing such relentless vigor overshadows the often mundane drudgeries we face daily. perhaps introducing more nuanced reflections on how individuals reconcile these frenetic impulses with reality could present a more balanced portrayal? sure, there's beauty in unpredictability, but also value in grounding oneself amidst all that disorder.
man, this poem really nails that feeling of constant motion and the push-pull between chaos and creativity; reminds me of when I’m trying to sleep but my brain's like a playlist on shuffle. your imagery is vivid, especially with the lightning metaphor—it’s both beautiful and hectic; some days I feel that spark too, just need to figure out how to direct it without short-circuiting everything else in life. do you have any routines or things that kind of help keep the sparks from flying all over?
Honestly, I think you're putting too much of a poetic spin on ADHD. 🤷♂️ Sure, it's got its ups and downs like you described, but focusing on the chaos and creativity almost glosses over how damn frustrating it can be everyday. It's not all fireworks—sometimes it's just tedious as hell managing tasks without getting sidetracked every two seconds. Your poem's nice and all, but there's more to ADHD than just pretty metaphors.