My Chart

by Jade Erickson

My body speaks a language that my doctors refuse to learn
So I became fluent in silence
I let them convince me I was exaggerating
Because they have the pen and they have my chart

My story is being written by judicial white coats
Who decide who I am before I even finish speaking
Their framed degrees make them divine
It gives them the power to rewrite my story
Leaving my words optional
And rendering my pain invisible

Every appointment is just another prescription
Every symptom is just another statistic
I’m simply another voiceless patient to be dismissed
My body’s truth can’t reach their eyes
And disbelief revised my reality
I’m forced to walk a path paved with deception
By the authority of their credentials

If I could materialize empathy
I’d gift it freely to them all
But I’m just another body swallowed by their protocols
Being executed by a system that will never save me

Jade writes: Through poetry, I’ve found a way to cope with life’s struggles. I’ve turn them into strength through language. My inspiration comes from my personal experiences, other artists, and the beauty of the world around me. I hope my work resonates with you and gives you a glimpse into my journey.