The New American Dream
America now
Sees mental illness
As something taboo to talk about
Outside of a hospital,
As something to suppress so long as I get that ‘A’,
As something not legitimate next to a broken leg,
As something requiring medication because
I’m “crazy” without it.
As something that will make me stronger
Until it kills me.
I dream that one day
Our mental illness
Is normal to talk about in
Open conversations,
Is prioritized before college exams,
Is equal to a broken bone,
Is not a label for people with
Chemical imbalances
Is recognized and treated
Before it destroys us.
This poem is about:
Me
My country