The Flower That Went Mad: Bipolar Poetry

by Yogesh Chandra

From the celebrated author of A Beautiful Poison comes a new collection of poetry focused on pain, loneliness, depression, suicide, loss, and healing.

the flower that went mad is filled with heartaches as well as joy and takes the readers through a journey of the up and the down moments in life. It expresses all the things that many are too afraid to open up about; it is painted with a thousand unsaid emotions at the turn of each page. But it is also about healing and finding one's voice. All this suffering that you go through will not go unnoticed because there is meaning too in chaos.

This collection will nurture, allow & gently restore your healing abilities through the emotions that connect with subtle, yet infallible energy within you.

Genres: Poetry, Nonfiction, Mental Health

116 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 23, 2021

About the author

Yogesh Chandra is a best-selling author from Fiji, known for his evocative and soul-stirring poetry. He earned his degree from the University of the South Pacific and launched his writing career in 2017 with his debut poetry collection, The Tragedy of Our Lives. Since then, his subsequent works—A Beautiful Poison, The Flower That Went Mad, and The Words I Could Never Say—have all become bestsellers on Amazon worldwide. His latest book, Lithium, is out now.

Yogesh’s writing is deeply inspired by the chaos, heartbreak, and sadness he has faced throughout his life. Losing his father at just 10 years old caused immense trauma, leaving scars he has carried ever since. These hardships were compounded by major episodes of depression during high school, which led to a relentless battle with suicidal tendencies. It was during these darkest moments, where he felt torn between despair and survival, that he discovered poetry. Writing became his refuge and a lifeline, helping him channel his pain into words and ultimately giving him a reason to keep going.

Heartbreak has also played a pivotal role in Yogesh’s journey. After experiencing love that left him broken, he turned to poetry to mend the pieces of his shattered heart. Each line he wrote became a step toward healing, allowing him to process the pain and rebuild his emotional strength. Poetry became not only a means of survival but also a testament to his resilience, showing him that even the deepest wounds could inspire art.

Having endured so much darkness, Yogesh finds joy in the simple things in life. To him, light often feels like something from a fairy tale—rare and fleeting. His only mechanism of healing has been through poetry, where he transforms his struggles into art. His days are spent navigating a whirlwind of emotions, while his nights are devoted to translating those feelings into words.

Today, Yogesh aspires to be a voice for those who suffer in silence, offering them hope and understanding through his poetry. His work resonates deeply with readers who find solace and strength in his words.

When he’s not writing, Yogesh enjoys immersing himself in nature and capturing its beauty through landscape photography, which he pursues as a passionate hobby.

Reviews

[David Wimsett · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Flower That Went Mad, poet Yogesh Chandra opens his life to reveal his struggle with the mental illness bipolar disorder that has dragged him from manic highs to suicidal depression. It is an intimate and powerful collection of poem that reveal the anguish and ecstasy of his trials. Chandra never shies away from the details of his life and emotions, the good and the bad. It is raw and uncompromising, yet full, of vision and imagery that carries readers on his journey. He speaks of his own experience and the effect his illness has had on those around him. The honesty with which the poems are composed are instantly engaging. I can well imagine how The Flower That Went Mad can help people living with mental illness to gain perspective, insight and hope. As well as revealing the inner turmoil to those around them

[Emma Moxham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well this got me in aaaaaall the feels. I enjoyed reading about Chandra’s life and journey with bipolar, particularly as he poetically described regular feelings with the added complexity of bipolar.

Two notable quotes that are oh so accurate of the bipolar cycle as I have seen and sat with the loved ones in my life…
⭐️ “happiness scares me more than anything else perhaps, because i have realised that the only thing that follows after a flicker of joy is an ocean of sadness.”
⭐️ “so you dearly hold onto hope, perhaps the only thing left for you now, and wait for a few days, maybe weeks, until this feeling of emptiness somehow goes away. it eventually does but it also returns, just like the seasons in a year.”

Yogesh, thank you for writing so vulnerably, honestly, and beautifully about your experiences with bipolar.

[Aleah Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as his other book, “The words I could never say.”

[Klara Jarolimova · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I got this book, I expected the poetry to be raw and deep with brief flashbacks and introspective observation, exclusively related to the disposition of grief, depression, and nudges towards healing from trauma, or the energy that gets sucked out of one in order to mentally travel between extreme highs and extreme lows. I was not disappointed.

[Emily Mohamedally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I’m not really a huge poetry reader. Once in awhile I see something that speaks to me, but a lot of the time it either goes over my head or I don’t relate. This book had a little bit of both for me. I don’t have bipolar but I could relate to the depression-aimed portions. My favorite line can be seen in my highlights. The one issue that I had was all the negative talk about medication. I understand that the author is speaking from personal experience, and in no way am I saying they shouldn’t have written what they did. I’m just worried that somebody reading it might decide to stop their meds without talking to their doctor. I think a good solution would be to add a trigger warning for negative medication talk. If there already is one, I must have missed it.
Anyway, overall I enjoyed this poetry collection and I would gladly pick up more from this author.

[Eve L-A Witherington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a poetry collection which in a world of more lows than highs, how writing can provide solace to create and relatability when shared.

Some poems I related to were:

Quietness, about the joy, peace and tranquility a garden provides.

Chronicle of the pills, an open look at medication testing and failing you trying to see if it helps or hinders you.

Blueprint of the society, a real look at how people can dismiss depression as sadness, want help yet never get it because of stigma still existing in society which can cause people to feel unable to open up.

This is a sad yet beautiful book born from the depths of deep sadness and depression and the delicate dance of trying to find your footing to feel steady and able in life once again, it was honest and open no feelings held back and honesty which is relatable to many people who've dealt with similar feelings too.

[Zach Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

New Author

I assume he’s a new author. I was on a writing/poetry page when I came across him promoting his book. Honestly, I am glad I followed the page to find his book to read it. The books tells us pain and it hurts to deal with it but we can move on. Most definitely give this book a read.

[aylin]

since my bipolar diagnosis i’ve picked up many books speaking on the disorder. by far one of my favorite poetry books that talks about mental illness. it talks about the highs and the lows and in a way it’s comforting to know i’m not alone. i feel it accurately describes the lows and highs in a poetic manner, it describes it in ways i would have never thought of.

[Rachel Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting concept

I enjoyed the book and concept. I also enjoyed the format and style. My favorite line/ idea is “we spent all our youth living through the stories created by someone else, thinking that ours would be too little for the world to read.”

[M.G. Moody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent poetry from a talented writer. This book talks about the grief of depression. Many do not talk about this but most have felt it in their lifetime. A reminder that no one is alone. No one should be alone.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poetry book was quite moving. I think my favourite poem was "prozac" because I loved the image of the sunflowers. The poet reached me with his raw words and I could relate to a lot of these poems. The collection is put together well. Would recommend.

[Anna Pesce · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m bipolar and I couldn’t relate much to his words. I liked this single poem the most : in a garden of fragrances, we are still drawn to the thorns like it is the only thing real. Keep the good job.

[Mary Ruth]

I don’t want to rate this - it felt really personal, but a lot of them I didn’t feel connected to. As someone with bipolar 1 I did relate to some of the poems though just felt like the words didn’t make me feel something.

[Shanet OB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Heart Wrenching Poetry

This poetry book was so heart wrenching and beautiful because we all been there. Some of us are still there in the madness. Yogesh thank you for provided this medicine to the collective it is needed.

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book had some misspelled words but the stories were so compelling it was barely noticeable. This one hit a soft spot for me as someone with bipolar.

[jillianAKAjill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel seen.

[Breeanna Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

felt

The emotions in the poetry can be felt! I would recommend this poetry book to anyone who gets lost in the ups and downs of life & mental health.

[kunal roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can’t put it down!

Can’t put it down! I love this style of poetry. Yogesh Chandra might be my new favorite poet! Poetry with depth and the words tell volumes in their story.

[Molly Neuforth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but not my favorite

Poetry is subjective and as much as I respect and applaud the author, this one didn't hit me the way I had hoped. Still wonderful and brave!

[Tiffany Blankenship · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not the best poetry book I’ve read but I was able to relate to some of the poems.