Only someone who has experienced severe depression can put into words exactly how it feels at the time it is happening. Written almost in diary form, the poems follow the author's journey of discovery from the darkness of depression to the light of recovery on a day-to-day basis. The author charts her progress through deep melancholy over a period of years, exploring the depths of her state of mind through dark images and references to past relationships. Using poetry as a therapeutic medium an intense self-awareness is revealed. Her 'inner child', her vulnerability, and her inner tiger (her anger) figure frequently in the story. The mood lightens as life and relationships change and she learns to accept herself and deal with problems. As hope begins to emerge, the undiscovered 'me' appears where 'blackness and numbness' used to reign, and she finds the woman she really is.