The shape and size of stigma,
it might surprise you. Sometimes it is overwhelmingly Large, Black, and Evil.
You can recognize it by it’s shape of jagged, broken and mean edges.
But not always true.
Sometimes the shape and size of stigma
may shock and surprise you.
Stigma can be seen lurking in the shadows,
among a loved ones face.
Stigma can take the size and shape and form
into the agony of un-relentless “grace”.
Stigma can form your friends and loved ones
into the bare bones of what you believed them to be.
It is the reality of you verses me.
It is the ignorance and confusion in your eyes.
it is the question on your lips-?
She must be sick again, then because, I do
not “get it”.
She must be off her rocker, off her meds, ignoring her doctor…
She must BE: C-R-A-Z-Y. because she is different than me.
Stigma comes in all shapes and sizes.
It may just surprise you.
Some folks cannot possibly understand.
Even though, there are medications
to help the symptoms of mental illness-
the pills themselves do not “cure” mental illness-
the way aspirin “cures” a headache.
The mental illness is part of me-
whether you can accept that or understand it-
i really no longer care.
Your name calling-& your blame calling,
I’ve had it up to here!
You will never understand that my life has daily struggles.
Despite my medications-which i never miss or forget-
Despite my strong relationship with my psychrachist
Despite all the other tons of things I must do each and everyday
to stay relatively stable-despite it all-the everything
Your going to judge me,
label me broken, label me inferior, label me crazy.
Just because putting others down
really makes you feel better about yourself-
for however briefly.
The shape and size of stigma:
it surprises me.
Coming from persons i thought
loved and knew me…but no.
Afterall, they were just waiting to pounce
on me, the moment I fell.
sexinthekitchensink 