Gaslighting, by Jennifer Weigel

Coming at’cha every Sunday at noon Eastern Standard Time EST – here’s more creative content craziness from Jennifer Weigel…

The night is full of secrets, darkness and dreams beyond reason, rational thoughts dimming into slumber. I shall light your lamp; let me guide you and show you the way. Please, let me help. Without my light you would be adrift in the darkness, left to your own devices. You would misinterpret your surroundings. You cannot navigate the darkness alone. Believe me, I am here for you.

You imagine things you should not.
You believe in things you should not.

Let me show you what is real. Just put all your faith in my light and trust in my abilities completely. I swear I have your back and I’ll never let you go. I would never lead you astray, my intentions are as pure as freshly fallen snow, white and luminescent. I only reflect the horrors of the world back at you. The world is an awful place full of terrible people. It is far too dangerous to disbelieve this.

Your hope cannot be trusted.
So put all your faith in my logic.

And don’t question me.

(Image features digital art Gaslighting of two sunset aerial photographs.)

This poem was influenced in part by my favorite Taylor Swift song Mad Woman but written from the flip side on behalf of the gaslighter, though it extends to much more given our relationship to media and the dissemination of lies as political propaganda. It is not near so individualized nor gender specific but it is always personal. And devastating to one’s sense of self and the world we live in.