I WANT TO BE SEEN
This illustrated poem is about the struggle of living with an invisible disability and chronic illness. I wrote it while in a coffee shop on September fourth, 2024, when reflecting on the impact I wanted my work to have on the viewer. Why was I creating this artwork? A form of protest to people’s judgement because of their assumptions. Trying to spread awareness of what it’s like living with an invisible disability and a chronic illness. Trying to create a focus more on the way people curate and it’s accessibility. I illustrated this poem while in recovery after being hospitalised October-November, 2024.
(A Poem written in capitalised blue typeface and black italicised typeface for the final scentence. The background is a babyblue and the boarder of the poem is filled with white and pink/purple bubbles, and silver spoons.
The poem can be found below...
‘I WANT TO BE SEEN
I WANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD
PEOPLE SAY I LOOK “HEALTHY”
THAT I LOOK “OK”
HOW MUCH PAIN CAN YOU REALLY BE IN IF YOU’RE SMILING
I SEEM “LAZY”
I SEEM “ANXIOUS”
I SEEM “ANTI-SOCIAL”
I AM MANAGING A CHRONIC ILLNESS
I HAVE CHRONIC FATIGUE
MOST DAYS I’M SO AWARE OF MY MORTALITY
SO I NEED TO HAVE A PLAN
I’m only human. I can’t do everything.
My spoons are low, but the dishwasher broke and there’s no repairman so I’m doing my best to hand wash them as fast as I can, but the dirty spoons keep coming.’ )
See ‘Spoon Theory’ explained in the Glossary