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This week's 'literary genius' award goes to

Topic: A poem on Living with Allergies

Title: 1/4 of my Life

Submitted by: Jean McGilvary

Ed's note: Jean suffers from chronic food allergies. So badly in fact, that she can eat almost nothing without it affecting her. And yet she still feels there is hope. A positive attitude and half the battle is already won. Well done Jean, keep it up.

¼ of my life I’ve been in a living hell
to look at me you could never tell
“You’re looking great” everyone says
They don’t see how I struggle these days

I feel like I’m on a treadmill
My treatment and cure just standing still
Meanwhile I live my life of hell
And hope and pray one day I’ll be well

The doctors were useless, I’ve found one at last
Who wants to help, pity 7 years have passed
You can’t dwell on this though or it’ll break your heart
Along with the symptoms this will tear you apart

You have to be positive on the rest of your way
And get yourself ready for a well day
I look forward to that, it’s been a while
When I’m well I could run a mile

I’m very sad, it’s a depressing time
Next time I’ll write a cheerier rhyme
I’m feeling crap and on a slope
Where’s the mechanism to help me cope

I’m going to read this one day when I’m well
And finished living my life of hell
I’ll look back and say “I can’t believe I was so sad
At the terrible health I once had”

My life will be happy and I’ll run that mile
My face will glow with a huge smile
I’ll wake up each morning and bounce out of bed
And no longer feel as if I were dead

I dedicate this poem to the determination I show
To constantly learn and know what I know
I am curing myself along the way
I know it’ll all be worth it one day

I’ve been so fortunate on my road of ill health
It’s shown me more important things than wealth
It’s shown me a life I would never of had
If I hadn’t spent so many years of being sad

¼ of my life has been a learning curve for me
Sometimes it’s hard the good things to see
I’m happier than I’ve been in many ways
I’ve got everything I’ve ever wanted these days

I want my health back to complete my list
Of things I’ve always wanted and I’ve missed
It’s on it’s way back, it just takes time
And I’ll keep it forever because it’s mine

I know how to keep it I’ve learned the way
It’s diet and determination that’ll make it stay
It’s going to be great when it gets here at last
And from my memory I’ll erase the past

¾ of my life will have been great for me
I’ll forget the ¼ which was a sad place to be
I’ll relish the good things I’ve found on the way
It’s made me the stronger person I am today

Jean McGilvary
23 July 2003.

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