if you had gone on the internet

and taken advice strangers gave you,

you would be long gone.

because i’m not easy to handle,

and i will break down and have

the cops called on us,

and i will cease making sense

to your mind — desperately

grasping some word i’ve said

or phrase i’ve uttered in a

futile attempt to figure oht

what i’m saying, what i mean

i’m sorry for the times

the illness takes over.

you are the last person i want

to hurt, and i feel incredible

taking steps not to hurt you.

thank you for not leaving,

even when the strangers

said you should. thank you

for seeing the pain, and

sticking by me all the same.