Sorrowful and raw, The Absence of You is a poetry collection that explores themes of mental health, grief, self-abandonment, and loneliness. These poems are for those who know what it means to be unwell and for those who feel lost.
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About the collection
This poetry collection is a culmination of years spent in a deep depression and toxic relationships. When I began to write these poems—which would later become The Absence of You, I had no idea I was going to publish them. In the beginning, I had no intention of letting anyone read them. I wrote them for myself, to make myself feel less alone, and in some odd way, to make myself feel better.
A few years ago, I was deeply depressed and intensely lonely. I managed to be functional but at a deep cost—the cost of my well-being. I stopped all self-care, lost quite a few of friends, and alienated myself. I started to write poems to myself in desperation. I clung to words when I gave up all hope and in these words, you’ll find me—lost and alone, but clinging on.
I decided to publish this deeply personal collection because I wanted to speak my truth. I own my past and I wanted to honour it and myself. If you can relate to any of the poems, know that I am there along with you.
You remain,
not blinded by the sunshine
but not lost in the hurricane.
excerpt from ‘Hope for the Hopeless’
Annie Sophie Le 