A whole community of us; a whole culture
A drop-in center, network, support groups, community clinic
Psychiatric symptoms so severe; we understand one another
We all knew each other when I was there
Yet, since we aren’t raving, regular people who see us expect
We function as if our symptoms are not severe
Who don’t understand us as we do one another
Grudge against government hand-outs
Which I barely function well enough
To be denied
Barely function
Function well enough
Just well enough
To be shamed by my co-workers’ expectations
That I function better
As if I didn’t have an illness
Not understand
That it is my best and I do have an illness
And so the whole community of us who understand
One another, our culture, our community, our symptoms
“You have an illness;” she said, “You shouldn’t be working.”
David Fekete 