Poem by thebirdonfire.org staffer Ike Spry

I have to take my pills

I’m a different person without them

Sure, maybe It’s not truly who I am

Or maybe I’m a failure without Western medicine

All the suffering I’ve faced

And the pain I’ve instilled

It doesn’t hurt me anymore

Knowing I live a “fake” persona

Maybe I’m lying to myself

The industry is a scam

I’m running in circles

And everyone’s a sheep but me

Maybe I’ll go off my pills

Sleep on the roof

Fall in love for the sake of my loneliness

And threaten to kill myself for attention

Or maybe

I’ll swallow down the truth

With a cold glass of water

And come to accept 

I have to take my pills