Category: Health

Day 22

On By WinstonIn Health, Mental Health, Mental Health is Health, My Awesome Wife, NaPoWriMo, Personal, PoetryLeave a comment

Today has been a rough day. We all have them, but with my current health issues, I’ve been having more than a few of them lately. That’s what I’ve written about today.

(Another) One Of Those Days

Do you have days when everything,

Feels like it’s going south,

When what you say, comes out all wrong,

Soon as it leaves your mouth.

 

You cannot work, cannot relax,

And food just tastes like straw,

When everything gets on your nerves,

“Til they’re just screaming raw.

 

You try so hard to hold it in,

Tie your guts in a knot,

But everyone who sees you knows,

So pain is all you’ve got.

 

This is my truth, and is my life,

Some days and more of late,

Don’t waste your pity all on me,

Save most for my poor mate.

 

She is the one who pays the price,

For all that I go through,

Yet still she stays and comforts me,

Does all that she can do.

 

When I am curled up in pain,

Can’t face another day,

Her smile brings me courage to,

Get up and find a way.

 

This is that day and I am done,

Give in now to the pain,

I’ll end this verse so I can go,

Cheers,

To hide away again.

NaPoWriMo Day 21

On By WinstonIn Extended Family,, family, Health, Love, Loving Life, My Awesome Wife, my blessed life, my Dog, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Relationships, The Choices We MakeLeave a comment

As I have mentioned a few times, I have been off work for some time for health reasons. I’m finally going back in a week or two and financially, it’s not a moment too soon. Personally though the past few months have had one important upside. More time with my wife, dog and extended family. I’ve also been able to devote more time to my art. It’s been great… aside from the whole sick and broke thing. Anyway, today’s poem is about that. Enjoy!

The Value of Time

Another day, a dollar earned,

That’s how the stories go,

But what is paid for what is earned,

That’s something most don’t know.

 

But I have spent some time away,

From works’ mad, hectic pace,

And if I could, I would withdraw,

From that one-sided race.

 

For what is paid is my dear time,

And I have none to spare,

Time with my wife and with my dog,

All those for whom I care.

 

I know the company cares not,

Not what they’re there to do,

Don’t kid yourself that you’re unique,

There’s countless more like you.

 

They’ll suck you dry, then cast you off,

Replace you in a blink,

And you’ll have sold all of your time,

For far less than you think.

 

We must all work, I understand,

There’s nothing much for free,

So, trade my time with those I love,

For their security.

 

Though I’ve been sick and money’s tight,

This time I don’t resent,

For time at home with family,

Is always time well spent.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 15

On By WinstonIn A Blessing, Embrace the Wild, Health, my blessed life, NaPoWriMo, Nature, Personal, Poetry, springLeave a comment

Last week saw me writing about a late season ice storm. Today when I walked my dog, it was in the mid-twenties (that’s the high seventies for my American friends 🙂 This poem is about the joy of Spring. It truly is my favourite time of the year. Enjoy!

Spring Poem Redux

Oh, glorious Spring, beloved time,

Bring forth your warmest green,

We’ve just survived the frozen months,

So long since you’ve been seen.

It’s not yet May heat like July,

Last week all sheathed in ice,

If I’ve a choice between the two,

The warmer one is nice.

There’s crocus blooming in my yard,

First open every spring,

A splash of brilliant colour there,

They promise everything.

While out today I heard the drone,

Of early season bees,

Again, their labour blesses us,

In gardens, farms and trees.

All nature wakes from it’s long sleep,

Anew the cycle starts,

With baby birds and animals,

And blooms to fill our hearts.

This is my favourite time of year,

Before the summer heat,

Turns untold shades of green to brown,

Such beauty down each street.

Not every day can be as sweet,

As this fine day has been,

Yet even in the wind and rain,

There’s beauty to be seen.

So, venture forth the world waits,

Just there beyond your door,

Perhaps you think you’ve seen it all,

You’ve not, there’s always more.

For nature’s vast and we are small,

And what you’ve seen has changed.

Things you had seen are not the same,

Time’s touch has rearranged.

Now in this season of the new,

Look and renew your soul,

By opening to this new growth,

Might make what’s broken whole.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 14

On By WinstonIn Bullying Yourself, Demon's In My Mind, Health, Mental Health, Mental Health is Health, My Chaotic Mind, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Poetry, Self Awareness, Sorry for the ChaosLeave a comment

I have suffered all my life from anxiety, stress and anger issues. Over time, I’ve learned to manage them or at least to sort of cope with them. With one thing and another, not so much lately. Today’s post is about those issues and what it’s like living with them from my side.

My Curse in Verse

I would not say I’ve bottomed out,

Just going down quite fast,

Tried so hard staying positive,

That tank’s run dry at last.

No this is not a plea for you,

To help me make it through,

‘Cause honestly there’s bugger all,

That anyone can do.

It’s just how my brain handles things,

Or doesn’t handle life,

It takes the ordinary and,

Creates chaos and strife.

Then my anxiety will spike,

My stress climbs off the chart,

And then the anger, then the guilt,

Then darkness wraps my heart.

Within my head I understand,

All the good things you’d say,

But the blackness in my heart says,

They’re not true anyway.

And there’s the rub, the crux of it,

The fact is it’s all me.

No matter what you say or do,

Sometimes it’s how I’ll be.

I cannot stand this side of me,

And that just makes it worse,

Self-loathing just like gas on flames,

To turbo-charge this curse.

But don’t feel bad that’s not the point,

Of writing out each line,

Just understand ‘til my mask cracks,

I’ll seem completely fine.

Then suddenly out of the blue,

The anger just appears,

All my defenses overwhelmed,

By my unspoken fears.

And then some thing, some tiny straw,

Will break that camel’s back,

My demons locked within set free,

My mind to now attack.

If you see rage and sorrow where,

A smile ought to be,

I promise it would make no sense,

To anyone but me.

Just know it’s me, it’s always me,

Not anything you do,

Wish when my demons torment me,

They didn’t torment you.

Ah, now they’ve wandered off again,

Must be their poker night,

I’ll take the peace and quiet and,

Try to get my head right.

Cheers,

NaPoWriMo Day 12

On By WinstonIn diabetes, Health, My Vice of Choice, NaPoWriMo, Personal, Personal Responsibility, Poetry, Reaping What We've Sown, Self Awareness, Sugar Addict, The Bill Always Comes Due, The Choices We MakeLeave a comment

I have been living with diabetes for years now. For the last year of so, I’ve been doing much better at controlling it as I’m well aware of the potential consequences if I don’t. Dealing with other health issues and the stress of being off work, I’ve been eating my emotions lately and for me that means sugar. This poem is about that. Enjoy!

My Vice of Choice

So I have a little sweet tooth,

That runs my life for me,

Sure there’s healthy choices out there,

But sugar’s all I see.

I could resist temptation sure,

That’s so easy to say,

But when the sweets start calling me,

Best don’t get in my way.

I have heard people say some things,

Are really just too sweet,

I’m sad for them, but that’s okay,

It’s more for me to eat.

I used to smoke, and get quite drunk,

Quit for my health I’m glad,

But sugar’s still my drug of choice,

Two out of three ain’t bad.

I am a diabetic so,

My vice may court my death,

I’m like a life-long smoker who,

Lights up though short of breath.

But I’m still here so there’s still hope,

One day I may break free,

And finally beat this jones of mine,

Before my jones beats me.

Cheers,