Do not pretend that you see inside

The invisible parts of me that died

Don’t shake your head so remorsefully

As if you understand my personal tragedy

You wonder how far gone, my crippled brain

Is my disability dangerous, am I able to refrain

Divert your eyes, don’t let the fear be known

Pray your own mental demons are never shown

Close the facilities, no longer deal with their plight

Turn your backs, then act disgusted at their sight

You tolerate the appearance of physical disparity

And point fingers at the disrupted minds of society

Homeless or unhoused, what difference did it make

Mental illness affects us all with a fear we can’t shake

The fine line between well and unwell can be very thin

A life unbalanced often hides behind a friendly grin