I went missing years ago
Some don’t even know
That I spend most days away, inside
And then my illness doesn’t show
I can’t show all the pain I feel
Or fogginess or dread
No one sees my energy gone
Or the tears I often shed
It’s not that I’m just tired
Or need to exercise
It’s because my battery
Is defective or maybe it’s the wrong size
Others see a broken bone
And say it’s fine to stay in bed
But my injuries are ones that you can’t see
So, they think it’s in my head
I lost the life I used to have
I was happy, full of light
I could play or run or dance
But now all I can do is fight
Fight for others just like me
who are grieving, who are lost
those who used to do so much more
without the unfair cost
We all sit at watch the world
Move on and leave us behind
We feel as though we do not exist
Or that others are just blind
That’s why we are speaking out
About the life we share
So please see us as we are
We know it isn’t fair
But we also know we are still here
Even if it’s not the life we wish
So, listen close because I have
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
This poem was shared at the #MillionsMissing Support and Awareness Virtual Event on May 12th 2020.