LITHIUM IN A CUP

Let me set the record straight.

Life on a silver platter

Should be fun and frolic

On a treasure island deep in the tropics

Ensconced in the sheen

And shine of a pirate’s find-

Ropes of diamonds,

Emeralds and pearls.

But wait!

My silver platter was only “plate”

And a thin coat at best,

Not up to any stress.

Looking at the decoration

My reflection blurs

As the edges of my reality

Begin to come unfurled.

Do not forget-

Mental illness picked me!

No one in their right mind

Would step to the front of the line and say

“I’ll have your special of a lifetime

That Bipolar Disorder Disease –PLEASE.”

You know the one-

Up down

Happy sad

And just a smidge of rage.

Be sure you serve up side effects

From the pills we pop each day-

And why just a few extra pounds

When forty-two will do-

Definitely the perfect pick-me up

When I’m feeling more than blue.

Don’t mention the lack of Li-bi-Doe.

We don’t want others to know.

It’s pretty hard to strut your stuff

When “just breathing” is enough.

So go the years-

Speeding, sleeping, seeking, adding up a life-

This disease is unkind.

At night the tapes rewind

I remember everything undone forever.

The loss of friends, jobs, pride-

The energy to play with my child.

Yes, it’s a wild ride!

Not easy to be me.

Alone, but I am not.

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

The love of uplifting hands,

The respect of those who see my truth.

Here we go……

Headache for days on end.

A hard to find exit sign

In an overcrowded room.

Din and bustle of a busy place

Standing in line,

And the lady in front of me

With a big purse,

Stepping back in her self-possessing mirth,

Into my space

-three times.

A political Rally at twelve noon

And no trees

In the summer swoon.

Anesthesia.

A full moon.

Generic Medication.

Flying

Hitting the curb

And throwing off my chemical alignment.

Who Knows?

Put me in the middle of

An emergency

That stretches into weeks.

Or the unknown-

The not for sure

And even something good.

I am best- stressed.

I am a column of calm,

Beginning, during and for two or three days after.

When the credits roll

I leave the theater

-and breathe,

Give up the role

As steady rock

And Nike tennis shoe.

I make it through.

And here I am today.

Waiting in line

Biding my time-

To appear

On a mental marathon

To raise a cure.

Until then -

Do you have lithium in a cup TO GO?!!

Amy H Taylor@2006

WHATEVER YOU WANT TO EAT DAY

Ten a.m. and I am just finding out about this wonderful day, May 1.  Whatever you want to eat day!  This is not fake news.  I just saw it on my local ABC station.  Of course, May is an exceptional month for several reasons.  But this May Day is right up my alley.  Probably a combined effort of Southern Living, Bon Appetit and Food Network Magazine.  Or Land of Lakes Sweet Cream Butter, Blue Bell Ice Cream and DiGiorno's Rising Crust Pizza.  Along with Equinox, Maggianos Little Italy and McDonald's.  I'm sure Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri and Martha Stewart/ Snopp Dog are in the mix.  Not to be outdone, Kitchen Aid, Vitamix and Le Creuset are involved in some way.  And I failed to mention Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Creme.

But today is the day!  If I had known earlier, I would have begun my day with six slices of bacon, a cheese omelet, biscuits and gravy with apple butter, fresh sliced tomatoes and hash browns.  Which reminds me of Waffle House's pecan waffles and the best hashbrowns in town.  That is definitely a good start to the day.  Oh, lots of coffee and skin milk.  And o.j.

I don't know about the calories involved today.  Are we suppposed to take them for granted or is it a cosmic occurence which reduces calories to nothing, nada?  Does Whatever You Want To Eat Day only mean all you can possibly take into your body before you collapse into a bacon and Coke induced coma after eating a bowl of semi-sweet chocolate chip cookie dough?

I do not have the answers.  I am just spreading the good word.  Now what shall I have for lunch?  I usually eat a packet of peanut crackers.  Maybe a salad from U.S. Pizza and a Big Mac?

About 3 p.m., I will have homemade popcorn with melted butter and a Frosty.  I wouldn't want to get peckish.  And I'm trying to keep my girlish figure.

Lots of unsweet tea during the day.

I think you are getting the idea.  It feels like I'm adrift at sea or lost and starving in the mountains on Naked and Afraid.  If I were naked I don't know if I would care to eat.  I would definitely request two larger burlap bags and cougar repellent.

Here we are with plenty of time to focus on dinner or the Southern Supper.  Wow.  So much food and so little time.  Appetizers would consist of cheese dip, salsa, pigs in a blanket, and brie with pecans and bourbon sauce.  Even though my stomach wouldn't be trained for this massive undertaking, I would like fried oysters, fried chicken, fried catfish, rib roast and lobster for dinner.  A fine complement of fried okra, fresh asparagus with sour cream, turnip greens with pepper sauce and Party Carrots.  Must have hot yeast rolls and butter.

And as much as I love chocolate, my favorite dessert is anything with Arkansas Strawberries, especially Homemade Shortcake.

It would take me all day to shop for these items.  And hours to carry them from the car into the house.  Take them out of the bags, onto the counter.  Another couple of hours to look for my recipes.  At this point I would no longer be standing up.  I would have to put my feet up for a few hours.  And close my eyes to rest them for this undertaking.  And I would zonk out before a single bite had been prepared.

Thankfully, at some point Burt would arrive on the scene.  He is very, very good at taking charge and whipping everything together.  Eventually, the two of us would get the delicious food on the table.  We would stop to thank God for the abundance in our lives.



While I was writing this, I became very aware this is such a silly exercise.  I am able to eat anywhere I want.  I could prepare every item and not worry about cost.

Arkansas FoodBank.  This is a very worthwhile non-profit.  We have donated to them for several years.  Today, I am going to send them a donation.  There number is 501-565-8121.  They are on Facebook also.  "Creating a community where no one has to go hungry."


Instead of Whatever You Want To Eat Day, I'm changing it to I Just Want To Eat Day.

Thanks.  I hope you can help.