I am…pain

A poem about a life lived in pain due to chronic illness.

Joel Nelson
1 min readMay 25, 2022

I am strong until I’m not,
I am cold, but my joints burn hot.

I am happy, on the surface,
I am not fit but for what purpose?

I can love, but not myself,
Not yet dying, but don’t have my health.

I am travelling but in one direction,
Followed by shadows, devoid of reflection.

Short on temper but long for peace,
My body grows heavy; my struggle will cease.

I will give, and it will take,
Despite the fight, it still aches.

Always waiting but don’t have the time,
And if you ask, I’ll say I’m fine.

Please consider hitting the ‘follow’ button if you’ve enjoyed Joel’s words or support what he’s trying to achieve. It costs nothing but makes a big difference in helping people find their work.

You can also find Joel on:

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Twitch

Or for a full list: https://linktr.ee/Joelvsarthritis

--

--

Joel Nelson

Joel is an Award-Winning Arthritis & Psoriasis Patient Advocate, Freelance Writer and Poet. Writing candidly about life to raise awareness.