Poem: Shakespearean Reflections on ME/CFS

Finding Resilience and Grace Amidst Adversity

Hi Fam,

My spoon accountant has me on a tight budget these days. While laying in bed, I was wondering what Shakespeare would say about MECFS in the 21st century, here’s what I got. Enjoy!

Oh, woe is me, for I am struck with an affliction,
A malady that doth confound and vex me so,
A plague that hath befallen me, unwelcome and unbidden,
And left me weak and weary, unable to e’en go.

A pox upon this illness that doth rob me of my life,
A curse upon my body, that doth fail me every day,
I am a prisoner in my home, unable to take up the strife,
That others find so easy, and carry on their way.

My limbs do ache, my head doth pound, and every breath is hard,
My mind is in a fog, and every thought a chore,
I long for simple pleasures, like walking in the yard,
But now, it seems, such things are not for me anymore.

Yet, still I strive to find a way, to live despite this curse,
To find a measure of contentment, in this life I lead,
For though my body may be weak, my spirit is not worse,
And in my soul, I find a strength, to help me in my need.

So though this illness may be cruel, and take from me so much,
I will not let it conquer me, nor rob me of my joy,
For though my days may be constrained, and limited in touch,
I will find ways to thrive, and find a peace that will not cloy.

Thus do I face each day anew, with courage and with grace,
And though my path be fraught with pain, and fraught with fear and woe,
I will not be defeated, nor will I lose my place,
For though I have this illness, still I have my soul.

🙏🕊️🙏