M.E/CFS

This is a poem about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. This is the chronic illness I suffer from. I just want to make people more aware of this neurological disease and I hope this poem does that.

Thank you for reading :)

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A terrible invisible illness,

Suffering from for so many years.

You only see my phony smile,

Not the shame or the bitter tears.

Even though it has a name,

No one knows what's really wrong.

Fatigue, pain, mental confusion,

The list of symptoms is far too long.

I'm so damn tired all the time,

I don't know how to go on living.

Sometimes I just want to die,

To my body I am unforgiving.

People don't believe this illness is real.

Many think I am lazy!

All I can think to say to them is,

Are you bloody crazy?

One day I hope our bodies will switch.

So I wish upon the stars at night.

Then they can feel what I go through,

The constant urge in me to fight.

I don't feel like I have really lived,

No I haven't, not at all.

My friends and family make me feel important,

But in fact I feel quite small.

How am I feeling?

Do you have to ask?

Getting out of bed everyday,

Is a strenuous task.

No one seems to understand,

Except those who suffer with the illness too.

I don't want people's pity,

Just awareness of what I go through.

All that keeps me sane,

Is me trying to keep on writing.

This is still a huge challenge,

Even though I find it exciting.

Mental confusion, concentration and forgetfulness,

Clouding my foggy brain.

It takes me forever to write a few simple words,

But it beats going insane.

So with an illness that has no cure,

You can be sure that I will keep on going.

For one day I hope to win in this life,

To find out I must keep on growing.