Stigma
On pavements glistening with honeydew
Dripped from sticky sycamore leaves,
Past nettles less threatening than joyful
As cooling gusts brush through them,
In the firm embrace of the midsummer sun,
I walk towards a life that is full
Through all this fullness, this all.
And you who have tried to bury me alive
With all my vivid being,
Have sought to tower over me
With judgements, petty jibes,
I am your greatest failure,
Having, like this orange-tip, taken wing
Above the nettles of words that sting.
And over entangling tearing brambles
That spill across this tiger-striped path
My spirit quickly flutters,
Coming to rest on Herb Robert,
Forget-me-not, Creeping buttercup.
And briefly untrammeled, in flight
My wings, luminescent, are channels of light.
And all of a sudden I see
I have always been free of you, higher than you,
My way was ever over your heads,
My dance too quick for your nets.
York Ending Stigma
To find out more about our work and to join us to end mental health stigma in York, please refer to our website https://yorkcvs.org.uk/york-ending-stigma/ or email us on yes@yorkCVS.org.uk