In Honor of World Mental Health Day

To all of you who either suffer from a mental illness or love somebody who has one, may the best of health be yours. It’s rough suffering from an invisible illness, as my poem from my chapbook Plant a Garden Around Your Life illustrates.

All She’s Wanting

All she’s asking for is a little help,
(But, “She brought it on herself, why bother-
She wouldn’t learn from our example,” they say)
You have no idea
What an effort it is
To feed the kids, or let out the cat, or even
Wash a load of laundry.

All she’s looking for is a helping hand,
But no one sees her struggle…
(“What struggle?  She gave into laziness a long time ago.”)
>So undiagnosed and suffering
From a genuine illness,
She hopes in God while simultaneously understanding the
Motives for suicide.

All she’s wanting is a reason to hope,
That tomorrow will be better
(“I keep telling you to just snap out of it,
Why don’t you listen to me”?)
A reason to believe that
It won’t hurt so much,
and that maybe, just maybe someone will reach out to her –

Find her worthy of compassion.

Read more here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I4FNQTE/