Overwhelmed

 Lockdown has got me knocked down,

Every day seems more than my lot now,

Every new stress seem like a weight that will break me,

Everyday straining to stay sane,

The voice in my brain tells me it too much pain. 

But every day I open my eyes, get out my bed a victory,

Every step, smile, every day a parry of the attack,

My riposte the words I write in an attempt to defeat this foe,

But Being Diagnosed with HS was a heavy blow,

Buckled my knees and dove me to the floor.

A victim of a Drive-by Diagnosis,

It took all my strength to make it to my car,

A force of will I am known for,

Left to find out about the Condition from the Internet,

This is not how it should be but how I was left.

 But I don't have time or energy to be sorry for myself,

Got to move on and cope with the stress,

The situation ain't going to change, so got to knuckle down,

Got podcasts to make and verses to write,

Emotions to release the only way I know how.

This Pandemic is like a pressure cooker,

Some people are withering under the pressure,

But all those Healthcare worked and forming diamonds,

But what those that can't cope don't seem to know!

Is even in this crisis you are never alone,

If you need help please reach out,

If it's just or a chat or something more,

There is lots of support even more than before.

If your feeling really down and don't know what to do,

Speak with anyone and tell them what's up,

Because in the end, we're all here together,

And we need to support each other till we make it through.

 

Burns Night

 Ah ma friend there sitting on the plate,

I know what will be thy fate,

As I pungle my dirk in, ye're innards seep out,

The fleshy tomb you were encased, slowly cut asunder,

I look upon you laying there with guilt upon me face,

I look upon the flesh as it lay with a hungry gaze,

My mouth a' salivating as I ruminate your fate.

Your flesh in my mouth such the sweetest of taste,

Ah that taste it has been too long to once more taste,

The spice bringing warm as it travels to its final home,

Ah my friend this will be but our last meet,

Alas unless I once more find myself weak.

I look at you upon the plate the King of foods,

The uncontested great sitting there with your two mates,

Those mashed friends both of ground,

 Who found their place at your side,

They sit there taking the back seat,

Sitting there both tattie and neep,

They mellow the spice and enhance your taste.

I look at you my fair national dish,

Alas I have but one more wish,

That I may once more taste upon your flesh,

 Without the worry of distress,

Without the fear of what will come,

To sit at that table and fill my tum.

For those who do not know January 25th is Burns night and while I lack his ability to write in scots this is my tribute to the greatest of Bards. He is the inspiration for oh so many Scottish poets as he is often the first poet whom we can relate to through our schooling as while Scots has mostly been folded into our dialect of English we can understand the words he says and they speak to us. I hope you enjoy this poem and understand it is a homage to the Address to the Haggis. 

My Inspiration!

 Healthcare Workers,

You Inspire me,

You've been asked to do so much,

You have done it and more as the burden increased,

You inspire me to push through,

Get to those greener days.

We will make it through because of you,

We will survive because of you,

I'm alive because of you,

I am thankful for the work you do.

Times are tough and to be frank, we have asked of more than enough,

It looks like the next few months will be rough but you'll get us through,

Marvel has the Avengers but in the real world we know our defenders,

Lots of people online acting, being pretenders, 

Posting on Twitter being offensive, being so goddam reprehensive.

The Stalwart protectors of our Health,

Despite the government keeping the wealth to themselves,

But still resolute when call upon to help,

The selfless dedication invested by the few,

So we can return home both me and you.

This is a thank you to all the healthcare workers who are doing so much and having so much expected of them by their employers and people in general. You are all doing a fantastic job and we owe a debt which can't truly be paid back. Your dedication to caring for patients and finding treatments and managements to help people make it through this Covid Pandemic is outstanding. The thanks may have waned from the people at large as the restrictions have left a bad taste in their mouths but I am more than aware we are being carried on your backs just now. I greatly appreciate the extremely difficult work you are doing and will have to do in the months to come.

In Short Thank you so very much 

2020 was Plenty

 Everything in hindsight is 2020,

Well goddam, I didn't know that meant bad,

Looking back at 2020 it wasn't all bad?

I started ICU life and Recovery of that I'm so glad.

Sure there have been hard times its true,

I don't need to explain the big one to you,

For me infections in the dozens,

Those took a massive toll on me,

Sepsis and surgery wore out my soul,

Pain for a month the side effect of one,

With 2020 I am more than done.

The year started alright,

A conference with a friend,

Standing on a stage once again,

But as the year progressed, more reclusive I became,

Wondering if I'd end up in ICU one more,

At my mental health, the anxiety tore.

I watched from the sidelines as my friends worked so hard,

I sent them some words to those near and far,

Working on projects to aid there work,

Looking on at these people who never seem shook.

Even when society is hitting them with a right hook.

2020 has been a testament to the Healthcare Professionals Work,

Relentless is there efforts, monumental there task,

But as always they seem to have kicked ass,

They risk their lives every day in a hundred different ways.

In 2020 we have seen the greatness in humanity,

But also seen people who sent me to profanity,

People so selfish and incredibly dumb,

Refusing to wear Masks when its rule number one.

But end this poem on a positive note,

While I don't think 2020 will be winning any votes,

I've seen who my friends are and that gives me hope,

So thank you all every single one,

This Hell forsaken year is buried and gone.