Promote Understanding
NEIL
I think it is very difficult for people to understand our condition, I can hardly understand it myself, and this sometimes leads to them having a negative perspective of us, mainly because they never see us at our worst. I wrote this poem for them (and us):
Not a Benefit Cheat
You see me walking
Down your street
You think there he is again
That benefit cheat
I return to my house
My legs really tired
Half an hour later
And all movement is expired
I have to drag myself across the floor
Just to reach my wheelchair
But you never see this
Because you are not there
My wife returns from work
And has to do all the chores
I can`t help feeling guilty
Because I know I`m the cause
When nightfall comes
You go upstairs to your bed
The couch is the only place
I will be laying my head
My legs and arms won`t move
No matter what I try
Two long days
Drag slowly by
Then things start to move
Quite out of the blue
Five minutes later
I can shuffle to the loo
After 2 days not brushing
My mouth does not taste nice
So the first thing I do
Is clean my teeth twice
After a short period of time
My movement becomes more
After two days being a prisoner
I head for the front door
You see me walking
Down your street
You think there he is again
That benefit cheat!
-Neil