To Sir Government, with Love

[Tamrin]

From a recent forum.

To Sir Government, with Love
(A Carer’s Lament)

By Deb Smith

The news is devastating, shocking
All the senses seem to be blocking
The dreams we dreamed are now shattered
Everything in life that mattered….
Is nothing but a blur.

Where to go and what to do?
How to cope and talk to who?
We’re feeling lost and wandering
And all the time pondering…
Why mental illness is a slur.

A wilderness of pain is calling
Expectations constantly falling
Ricocheting here and there
Personal questions laying you bare
Can you help us Sir?

Years of torment and of pain
No relief for shouldered blame
Local communities unaware
Blindly denying that it’s there.
Mental illness does occur!

Bottomless grief hidden away
Fighting something that’s here to stay
Behaviours challenging our sanity
A community needs its vanity.
So.. hide the mental illness cur.

Always swimming against the tide
Ripples venture far and wide
It’s better not to rock the boat
Cancer gets the political vote.
Why don’t you help us Sir?

How do we fix our broken child?
Where’s the future? Not now! Filed!
Constant reminders of loss and grief
Communities’ continual belief…
Mental illness is a slur!

We’re lost, we’re tired and we’re cold
Please bring us back into the fold
Help us to right the wrong
Of journeys that are far too long
Where mental illness does occur.

Our battle is all up hill
We carers of the mentally ill
Support for ours is very rare
Actually – only we care!
Won’t you help us Sir?

Here’s any idea – de-institutionalise!
Look at the savings we’ll realize
Let the families do the caring
Look at the profits we’ll be sharing
It’s all become a blur.

How can you ignore such pain?
Your changes are all in vain
You haven’t saved a single cent
Because whole families are now spent!
And mental illness still occurs.