Rachel Blake’s poem is a stance against the stigma, discrimination, and fear that surrounds mental illness. Rachel herself has had a mental condition for as long as she can remember. But like so many others, she continues to persevere, whether managing on her own or with the help from her personal (and sometimes professional) support system. Rachel continues to write, challenging herself, as well as others, on the myths surrounding mental illness by being vocal and sharing her experiences.

Your Reality Too (A Protest Poem)

When I go off the rails
I hurt my self not you
I curl up in my bed
A snail within the shell
When I am depressed
I don’t rise up off my sofa
Let alone become a danger
Manned with an axe
To chop up you
When my brain is racing
From one thing to the next
I haven’t the space or time
To bother anyone other
So relax
When I’m up
I am creative
Making, painting a must
I become one possessed
But not with you
Stigma wielding man
My juices too precious to waste
On hydrating your prejudice
I have an illness
It is not contagious
And not the all of me
So if you cannot accept
Or treat me with a little respect
Then at the very least
Zip your mouth
Don’t tell me what’s best
Or simply to pull my self together
I am not curtains
And I do not care to be patronized
By your ignorance
Yes I’m talking to you
The uninformed jury
Assuming fear as fact
Remember one day it may
Be your reality too.

Image Credit
Feature: Engin Akyurt at pixabay, Creative Commons