The stories goes that I’m faking
My discomfort isn’t real
Women make such a big deal
And fat women deserve it
And black women don’t feel it
They suggest I’m malingering
And I’m seeking attention
I should, “learn to live with it”
They say mental illness isn’t painful
Nor is rejection or loneliness
The fact that it’s persistent
Makes it less believable
Only a doctor can define it
And throw a pill at it to cure it
But even without treatment
If only I would believe myself better
If only I was tough enough
Then I could stop my chronic pain.
Elizebeth Turnquist 
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