Living the Illness

Addle-minded, weak in the head Or taken by the bottle is sometimes said Cannot be trusted, keep him in sight Lock all your medicines in a cabinet tight Do not trust his judgment he is easily confused And he seems to forget the substances he abused Constant reminders of behaviors, not of me Growth constantly made, but people choose not to see A day at a time, living the best that I can Living with the illness, I am just a man I am called bipolar, alcoholic, addict by family and scores I am a father, writer, man with an illness, who a little girl adores I made a bed to lay in and so I do accept the doubt Yet it would be nice if others saw my actions carry some clout I do not react in anger, for the ignorant just cannot see I will not waste my time trying to convince when I know the real me Mental illness is no one’s fault and it does not define ones’ being Judge us not by our past misdeeds, but by what you are really seeing