Guest Author - Wollie Woehler

Poetry can be therapy for someone living with a neuromuscular disease. We are not talking about perfect poems, written according to all the rules and regulations but a way of expressing our feelings, emotions and whatever we want to put to paper, or to computer keyboard.

Unfortunately we cannot pay you for your poems; this is intended to be an outlet where you can feel safe as nobody is going to criticize, laugh or think what you write is not good enough. I started writing the occasional poem in such a safe environment until I felt safe to send my poems to friends and family.

Here is an example from the top of my head:

I live with myself

Broken knees
Swollen ankles
Red faced
I hate myself!

Why am I falling in the street?
What is wrong with my feet?
Am I just clumsy?
Who can I ask
That will tell me why?

I feel so exposed
Down on my knees,
And when I get up
Blood is running down my legs.

At last it has a name
Charcot-Marie-Tooth’s what it is.
My mother had it before me
And my grand ma before her.
And they passed it on to me.

Now it has a name
It softens the embarrassment
And the shame.
The disease is the cause,
I am not to blame.

Put up your poetic caps and send them to me. I need a written note giving me permission to place your poem on our web site so we stay within copy right rules.

Or what about something like:

Who is blind?

I am not so blind that I cannot see,
Smells, sounds and touch
Are good enough for me.
Your face I cannot see
But your hand shakes
The tone of voice
Tells me more than others can see.
You think I don’t
Hear the sob in your voice,
Hear a nervous foot shift,
I’m not loosing out,
Okay, perhaps just a bit.
I believe they are blind
Who do not want to see?
My physical eyes may be useless
But my big and tender heart
My inner eyes are so smart,
They pick up almost everything
Except glasses,
Plates and cups
People put on the floor,
Well, if I tramp on them,
Their splinters go out the door.

Silly? This was my silly five minutes for today. Come and have fun and serious moments with all of us, I am sure you will feel much better once you participate in the fun.