Stories that need to be told: the poetry of illness and insomnia

Stories that need to be told: the poetry of illness and insomnia

I have some stories that need to be told
But life comes along to put my dreams on hold
I know my fellow writers see this rhyme scheme as lazy
But it’s all I can think of – isn’t that crazy?
It helps if you imagine this being read by Lin-Manuel
Though I’m neither poet nor a rapper, in case you couldn’t tell

I want to thank the woman who bought that mixer from Kohl’s
When Target screwed my mom over, those wretched souls

And I owe a post to the folks at Cron-O-Meter
Though I don’t know if it’s meant to rhyme with letter or with teeter
Their site has really helped me take control of my nutrition
A comprehensive review is in the works to explain my position

I’m currently held hostage by my own internal clock
Which runs, it seems, Hawaiian time, tickety tock
You know by now that I am quite chronically ill
But there’s no cure in sight, no magical pill
I’ve been mostly housebound, on modified bed rest
But I’ve been feeling worse this week, totally not my best
My strength and stamina just keep getting lower and lower
So my doctor told me now I have to take things even SLOWER

Have you ever been so tired that you couldn’t sit upright?
Or had to nap for hours just because you went out for lunch to grab a bite?
There are still bills to be paid, so I still have to work
But when I need a break after an hour, I feel kind of like a jerk
My husband works full time, then comes home to care for me
The guilt I feel is strong, but that’s the way it has to be

And so I’m writing this post well after 3:00 a.m.
Because my brain needed to get this out, what a gem!
The good news is that the effort has been really quite draining.
Time to shut things down. Hope you found this entertaining.

Christina Gleason (976 Posts)

That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.


By Christina Gleason

That’s me: Christina Gleason. I’m a writer, editor, and disability advocate. I'm a multiply disabled autistic lady doing my best in this world built for abled people. I’m a geek for grammar, fantasy, and casual gaming. I hate vegetables. I cannot reliably speak, so I’ll happily conduct business over email or messaging instead.

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