Sickness | Teen Ink

Sickness

February 15, 2011
By Anonymous

There are many things
That ail mankind.
But the worst of these
Afflict the mind.

There are probably many things
I could do differently.
But is it as hard on her
As it is on me?
She seems overjoyed--
At the moment at least
As she shuts out the truth
And reality.
It is we who suffer,
The ones looking on,
Our help rejected
As we lose our mom.

My eyes have seen this
Too many times
To expect much else
Or even be surprised
When she begins her descent
To an unreasoning state
And all I can do
Is sit and wait.

For the doctors to take her,
And force her on pills
While my grandparents are stuck
With the hospital bills.
And when she's released
And on medication
She'll make us the promise
That it "won't happen again."
I nod and smile
And heave a sigh
For I know in my heart
That this is a lie.

For she cannot accept
That she is Bipolar.
She'll do what she wants.
No one can control her.
She'll say she is healed,
Or that nothing was wrong,
But it's exactly these words
That inspired this song.

But still I hope
And force a smile
Because she is my mom
For a little while.


The author's comments:
I am especially tender towards this piece. At the time, I felt like so much weighed on me, yet I was helpless. So, I picked up a pen and wrote this--no more than a diary entry. I just wanted someone to know how mental illness really feels.

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This article has 4 comments.


on Apr. 10 2011 at 10:02 am
the_sparrow SILVER, Chicago, Illinois
8 articles 0 photos 51 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind." -Dr. Seuss

Stick around then :) I'll be posting more like it soon. It's funny...this is the one with the least structure. It just kind of poured out of me

Hotaru said...
on Apr. 9 2011 at 3:23 pm
This is very emotional, which is why I like it. You let the readers know what you are feeling in a clear, uncomplicated way. You should write more poems with feeling like this in them. I would love to read them if you did!

on Apr. 5 2011 at 5:48 pm
Zaylie PLATINUM, Everett, Washington
24 articles 13 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It&#039;s not the kind, the kind you take about it&#039;s just the kind that rips the clothing off your mind.&quot; -Flyleaf <br /> &quot;You feet in the air, Your head on the ground Try this trick and spin it yeah Your head will colapse when there&#039;s nothing it in.&quot;-Pixies

i love it!

on Mar. 29 2011 at 4:46 pm
chocolate_kisses, Pampa, Texas
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Wow. Love this poem! It DEFINITELY deserves to be published!!!