The Calm After the Storm: Finding Stillness After Turmoil with PTSD | A Poem & Painting Duo
Welcome to The Calm After the Storm, a heartfelt poem exploring the complexities of healing and the unsettling nature of tranquility. After enduring immense turmoil through trauma-inducing experiences, peace is often anything but peaceful. This poem seeks to demonstrate the unease of being confronted with sudden calm after being forced to flee life with trauma responses. I have paired this evocative poem with my painting, The Seas Occasion, to explore the unique experiences of PTSD survivors who grapple with the paradox of calm after chaos.
The Seas Occasion: A calm yet moving sea that mirrors the complexities of healing—peaceful skies above, with unseen turmoil shifting beneath the surface.
If this theme resonates with you, explore my collection of PTSD-inspired sea paintings available for purchase here. Each piece reflects unique elements of healing and transformation.
The Calm After the Storm:
Tranquility comes most unexpectedly;
A calm right after a storm.
Exhausted from drowning,
Coerced to currents of the past.
A body so withered
Is forced to mourn
Skies unrecognized
Absences of darkness
Serenity so obscene —
Dismantled trust
The weight of expectancy.
Presence of repose
Juxtapose —
Turmoil at sea.
A mind so distorted
Can varily see.
A survivor cannot fathom
Stillness of tranquility.
Heightened awareness
Defines the deafening.
After living life so reactively and having our day to day experiences include a never ending stream of various triggers, it can be a difficult adjustment to encounter times when we don't need to flee in trauma responses. When there’s nothing left to react to, peace can feel almost terrifying. We’ve grown accustomed to protecting ourselves by any means necessary, and that constant state of alertness that is our familiarity, suddenly makes things difficult. It can translate into anxiety, making the smallest tasks seem like insurmountable challenges. What seems insignificant to others can feel overwhelming to those of us with PTSD. After suffering triggers and responses born from our traumas for so long, the stillness that comes with healing feels like another unknown danger.
Thank you for joining me in exploring the unsettling calmness that often accompanies healing after trauma. If this poem or reflection resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What has been your hardest experience in navigating the journey of healing through trauma? Share your insights in the comments— your voice and experiences are valuable in uplifting others on similar journeys.
On my YouTube channel, DreamsReaped, I share narrated versions of my poems, bringing them to life with emotion and gentle music. Be sure to visit and subscribe to stay connected. And don’t forget to check back here each Monday for a new poem inspired by themes of PTSD, healing, or faith in God. I hope these works inspire and uplift you.
