My bag - Julie Stevens

Inside I have everything,

a chief collector of my day

storing worries and unwelcome times.

Would you like to look?

There’s my hoard of rocks dragging me down

and wayward trips finding a groggy landing,

in they went. I’ve got the blur of one eye

lying lost, tucked down the side and the

burning pain of a heel thrown in too.

And those thoughts, those thoughts, the ones

that tell you how utterly hopeless you are,

shoved in because they don’t deserve care.

My day moves on: collect, collect, there’s always

something to keep. A few words skip inside,

spoken in the wrong sentence, unfortunate

mishaps from a foggy mind. The constant need

for a stronghold to steady myself, in you plunge too.

I load them all: shakes, tingles, numbness, anger.

My bag holds me; waiting for a moment

to show you my strength.

Would you like to look?

Bio:

Julie Stevens’ poems reflect the impact Multiple Sclerosis has on her life, as well as other topics close to her heart. Her poems have recently been published on The Honest Ulsterman and Dodging the Rain. She came second in the Dreich Chapbook Competition 2020 with her chapbook Quicksand. Her website is www.jumpingjulespoetry.com.