In the silent chambers of my soul, a canine spectre roams,
A black dog with eyes like weighted stones,
Its ink-black fur shrouds the light,
Its presence eclipses joy, turns day into night.

Unseen by others, its paws pad softly through my mind,
Leaving traces of melancholy, whispers undefined,
A heaviness, a burden, it places on my chest,
As the shadows lengthen, my spirit finds no rest.

It walks as my shadow, its eyes a leaden gaze,
It is a darkness that lingers through my sunniest days,
There is a familiarity in the numbness it imparts,
It preys on my body, mind, soul, and heart.

Through the fog of despair, its presence is shown,
My constant companion that feeds on any joy I've known,
But in this darkness, a memory inside me still burns,
A distant hope and yearning for the sun's return.

I walk with this black dog, and I will all my life,
But in other hearts and souls, this darkness I recognise,
And all I can do is what I hope others do too,
To help each other heal and face each day anew.

Penned by my hand on the 8th of Aeguary, in the year 930 AF.