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EMPTY

I'm an outgoing person
Love working out, friends and fun
Have the world by the balls
Career and house by age 21

Less shifts taken at work
Invitations to parties passed up
This flu is kicking my ass
Maybe a bit of sleep is needed to catch up

Two true people were listening
My health deteriorating fast
It seems everyone else is mad at me
When have they tried to see me last

Diagnoses of Crohn's came along
My independence slipping
On disability now and no "friends"
Mentally and physically crippling

I've never been in full remission
And I'm not meaning to complain
There's people out there worse than me
But my life and who I was I could not maintain

It takes a small amount of time
The life I made now in disarray
I can't help but to look back
If asked for comparison I would say

I am a withdrawn and sad person
Hate pain, meds and sun
Have the world on my shoulders
It all started at age 21

By Courtney Lloyd

I love that this could almost be read forward and backward respectively. The fact that it progresses through a persons life, and what they deal with also adds to the appeal.

Thank you very much. This poem is very personal to me and has been the only piece I have ever shared out in the open. I'm glad you enjoyed it!☺

not a problem, and thank you for for sharing it

Perfect description, particularly the line "When have they tried to see me last". Yes, this is what a person feels as their strength and autonomy are stripped away by a disabling chronic disease. You conveyed it perfectly. The raw truth is - pain is boring, medications are a trade off of side effects, and all the positive attitude in the world will not change reality. People walk away. Family can become impatient. It's shocking how little you have when your health is gone.
It's as though we are eroded by the forces of pain, illness, dependency and social isolation. I really admire how openly you address that loss in your poem.

Thank you so much for your comment. You put it in such a way that I am I am extremely happy I could have someone else relate to my experience with a chronic illness. I was very indecisive whether to share it or not. I'm glad I did, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!??

I think this shows the reality of life in a painfully honest way. Everything may be perfect at one point but that does not mean it will be perfect forever. This really shows the truth behind events that happen to people everyday. Friends may never truly be there for you and your health will not always be the same throughout your life. It also shows just how fast life really can change.