"Dazed" a poem about the aftermath of narcissistic abuse. By Daniel Ryan Cotler

Dazed

Lost in a fog,  

detached and drifting,  

trapped in a nightmare  

I can't escape.  

My mind and body in shock,  

caught in the relentless  

psychological warfare  

of narcissistic abuse.  

I can't believe this is my life,  

a twisted reality  

I never chose.

Every breath,  

a struggle to remember  

who I once was,  

a fight to reclaim  

the light and joy  

you've stolen from me.  

Your words,  

sharp as daggers,  

cutting deep,  

leaving scars  

on my soul.

I am dazed,  

wandering through a maze  

of confusion and pain,  

searching for a way out  

of this dark abyss.  

Your lies,  

a suffocating shroud,  

obscuring the truth,  

blinding me to the hope  

that once shone so bright.

In the haze,  

I see fragments  

of the person I used to be,  

a shadow of myself,  

fading in the twilight  

of your manipulation.  

You've robbed me  

of my light,  

turned my days  

into endless nights,  

my dreams into  

haunting specters.

I am trapped,  

a prisoner in my own mind,  

caged by the echoes  

of your deceit.  

How do I break free  

from the chains you've forged,  

the binds of your cruelty  

that hold me fast?  

I stumble,  

dazed and disoriented,  

searching for a way  

back to the life  

you've stolen.

In this fog,  

I find only darkness,  

a void where my joy  

once thrived.  

You've taken everything,  

left me hollow,  

a shell of the person  

I used to be.  

But even in this daze,  

I hold on to a spark,  

a flicker of hope  

that one day,  

I will find my way 

back to the light.

Author Notes

This poem, "Dazed," is a deeply personal reflection on my struggle to reclaim myself after surviving the relentless psychological warfare inflicted by Frankie Zerella. In the aftermath of our relationship, I found myself lost in a fog, detached from reality, and trapped in a nightmare I never imagined could be my life. The relentless manipulation and abuse left me in shock, struggling to remember the person I once was.

Through this poem, I attempt to convey the profound disorientation and despair that comes with being a victim of narcissistic abuse. Frankie robbed me of my light and joy, turning my days into endless nights and my dreams into haunting specters. Yet, even in the darkest moments, I hold on to a spark of hope that one day I will find my way back to the light and reclaim the person I used to be.

Surviving such an ordeal has been a harrowing journey, but writing this poem has been a crucial part of my healing process. It is my hope that sharing this experience will resonate with others who have faced similar struggles and offer a sense of solidarity and understanding.