Member’s Poems

BAG OF BONES

Pain gnawing

Unrelenting pain

Unremitting on body and mind

This bag of bones was not designed

For pain gnawing

Unrelenting pain

Burns through the soul

Reaps a heavy toll

This pain gnawing

Unforgiving pain

By MEGAN Ò CRÌOGÀIN 2002

IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD

“It’s all in your head”, the Doc said.

“Why spend all day in bed!”

“You’re not that ill”

“Or over the hill”

“It’s all in your head”, the Doc said.

“Are you sure it’s not stress, that’s causing your distress?”

“We can find nothing wrong with you!”

To me, it feels I’ve come down with flu

A second opinion, if you please, can’t you see

I’m down on my knees

“Oh, you have fallen ill. Here, take these pills!”

(Let us not hear from you again!)

“But these pills don’t work, any my body still hurts.”

“Are you sure it’s not stress, that’s causing your distress?”

“It’s all in your head”, the Doc said.

By MEGAN Ò CRÌOGÀIN 1994

Imagine if you could help…

Imagine if your life had turned completely upside down.

Imagine not being able to work, or even get around.

Imagine if your social life was to completely disappear,

Imagine friends so busy, and seldom coming near.

Imagine having little energy to carefully spend each day,

Imagine deciding how to spend it, on whatever comes your way.

Imagine going out a while to a café or a shop,

Imagine only one of these reaches your energy’s top.

Imagine not being able to run, or sometimes even walk,

Imagine being so exhausted, you cannot even talk.

Imagine not being able to even pursue a hobby,

Imagine struggling to read a book, to enjoy or even study.

Imagine sometimes on your feet, and then collapsing to the floor,

Imagine crawling round your home, and struggling to open the door.

Imagine feeling paralysed and cannot get off the seat,

Imagine waiting days for recovery, till you’re once again on your feet.

Imagine having symptoms of Flu, with all the aches and pains,

Imagine having sore legs and back, your arms and neck the same.

Imagine having loss of memory and cannot remember things clear,

Imagine feeling depressed and in the depths of despair.

Imagine how you would feel if all this happened to you.

Imagine how you would cope, tell me what would you do?

Imagine calling on doctors, and they were so unsure,

Imagine if they must research, to help and find a cure.

Imagine if you would help in any way you could,

Imagine if you only need send a pound, surely that you would.

Imagine if all the people were to do the same,

Imagine if medical efforts, were then no longer in vain.

Imagine if your donation helped to understand “M.E.”

Your money would be well spent, I’m sure you would agree.

Gail McPartland

25% ME Group Member, 17/08/03

Be brave

We must try to be brave,

And not let our sorrow

Build a bridge of tears,

Where no one can reach us,

And help with our fears.

Life is a constant challenge,

The dark side must not win.

We’re here to hold your hand,

So, open the door and let us in.

by Helen Root

The Unseen

By Dawn Brown

A reflection in the mirror

Is needless to say

A counterfeit image

An undetectable fake

Behind a glitzy smile

And a flirtatious look

Lies a body in torment

That is truly misunderstood

With your aching physique

And mind engulfed with fog

You curl up like a pussy-cat

In front of burning logs

You dream about a world

A place beyond this time

A life filled with harmony

Not of worry and strife

But there is no reprieve

From this life that you lead

No knight in shining armour

Or miracle sent from above

There is no crystal ball

So your future remains uncertain

No tarot reading gypsy

Nor fortune-cookie wonder

But in your darkest hour

When your limits are pushed

You suddenly realise

Your soul remains untouched

You possess something special

That illness cannot taint

A faith that is within you

A spiritual and magical fate

With a little understanding

From the people that you love

You know you will conquer

And celebrate the life you love

So look to the future

But do not say a word

Your destiny awaits you

Along with your soul mate

Pussy Cat

By Sue Thompson

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat

Where have you been?

I’ve been to an M.E. group meeting

That’s where I’ve been

Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat

What did you there?

Got lots of aches and pains

And fell asleep on my chair!

ME Awareness Week Poem

By Heather Sturrock

I don’t make any sense

My mind feels really dense

That when I start to talk

It’s jibberish and without thought.

I have a poor digestion

That sometimes causes congestion

My bones feel very frail

That gives me the pace of a snail.

I’m always feeling sick

That if I’m up it’s quick

So I fall back into bed

And keep living in this hell

No it’s only that ME

They say so easily

I wish they only knew

The pain that we go through

Cause I bet that if they did

We’d hear it till it spread