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Shame On Us

Twelve bottles of water Lots of lettuce Lettuce only Lettuce Lettuce Lettuce Lettuce and water Water and lettuce Twelve bottles of water She looked like a war-torn waif Shame on us for not knowing something was wrong! For thinking this was okay For not recognizing a mental illness. Shame on us. Shame on us. Shame on us. Her family, for not recognizing anorexia when it finds one of our own. Twelve bottles of water a day became fifteen. Lettuce lettuce lettuce. Only lettuce for nine months. She looked in the mirror and called herself names. She thought she was fat. Even after she had lost sixty-three pounds. Nine months of only lettuce equals three hospital stays,' three last rites. Lettuce and water, water and lettuce. Anorexia. An illness. Shame on us for not knowing so we could save her.

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Panagiota Romios

Date: 8/29/2019 4:51:00 PM

I think we have the opposite addiction going on. People fatter than ever. Shopping channels cater to this. Look For death. It won't benthin people. Many in USa morbidly obese.. Look on your streets. Clothese are expanding as Record rates. That is a tragedy, PR

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 8/29/2019 8:58:00 PM

Both conditions are sad for the victim. Some are helpless in the throes of their own addictions or convictions.

Swetha Vangaveti

Date: 8/28/2019 12:05:00 AM

"Stop giving names to mental illnesses and seek help"- I shout this out to people quite often. Here in India,the awareness on mental illnesses is very poor. I feel pity for people who run towards an unknown magic without seeking the help of a counsellor. This poem should be widely read.

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 8/28/2019 7:32:00 AM

Thank you very much.

Ilene Bauer

Date: 8/27/2019 5:12:00 PM

so sad to think of people doing this to themselves and so surprising to find out that you were one of them, caren. i guess you eventually got the help you needed. many others aren't as lucky. your poem expresses this very well...

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 8/28/2019 7:33:00 AM

I did not get any help that I needed. But I got a scare. Every time I tried to relax my HEART STOPPED and I had three small children. I decided to LIVE.

M. L. Kiser

Date: 8/27/2019 4:02:00 PM

Oh my god, such a sad piece; anorexia is serious business and too many succumb. Our society does nothing to prevent it; ads that show little twigs in clothing are more harm than good. People grow up with the idea that twig is sexy, when it's really deadly. Quite a sad piece.

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 8/28/2019 7:33:00 AM

It is so sad. Magazines have got to stop making starvation look desirable.

Ann Foster

Date: 8/27/2019 2:24:00 PM

What sadness, right in front of us, hiding before everyone, "in plain sight". Your words bite, and make me want to watch more carefully. Not just for this, but for everything that I can. Those we love, sometimes need us, and don't even know what, much less how to ask? Hugs. Ann

Caren Krutsinger
Date: 8/27/2019 3:10:00 PM

This was me at age 29, I almost died. Lost so much weight -only ate lettuce and drank water for a year. It is a wonder I am alive. It is also a friend's sister who was not as lucky and had been hospitalized repeatedly until she died.