Poems by D.C

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

I guess I can say I was lucky enough to never have been homeless. I have never lived on the streets. Even though I have been through some hard times, I am still fighting the fight for life. I could go out and have a drink, but I stop and think, What will I gain but more heartache and pain? Because tomorrow, I will wake up sober and hung over.

As I write this, I know that I am still going through my pain.

I don’t know why, because I have accepted it. But my feelings just won’t change. I am not going to lie. I just don’t want to die. At the same time, I know I can make it. I just cannot get rid of all the pain. I want to move on with my life because I know that I have so much to gain.

D.C.

FAMILY GATHERINGS

When families get together the one thing they almost always do is eat. Everyone cooks their favorite dish and brings it to the table. Now that we have finished eating, let’s have a little fun playing spades and Scrabble, video games for the kids. By doing this at least once a year, the family will keep in touch— eat, stay healthy, have fun.

I wish my family would do this. Maybe we would get along much better.

D.C.

FOOD & FUN

1. First: food. Food is something we all need for our body. I like to eat, but I don’t like to cook. But I can cook if I need to. What I like about food is that it comes in Chinese, Italian, Jamaican, American—and there is health food, which we should all try to eat. Me personally, I do not care for fast food—McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King. It’s not good for you.

2. Second: fun. I like to have fun. You need a little fun in your life. Fun is also healthy to have in your life, so that life isn’t so depressing.

D.C.

JOIN ME AT MY TABLE IF YOU DARE

As I sit at my table and work on my ode—which for me would be my HIV—it is a struggle, but my God handed it to me to see if I will use it for the good or let it take me away. But here I am to tell you that I am here to stay, because I finally realized that HIV does not have me, I have HIV.

There is a table for everyone to sit at. Maybe you have not found yours yet, but your table awaits, and if it is like mine, you will have many guests. Because whatever you are going through in life, there is someone else going through it too, so welcome them to your table.

D.C.

GOD’S SHINING ANGEL

As I sit in my church I should feel safe in my place in God’s House. But as I sit in my pew, I wonder what would you do if you knew that I was HIV positive.

Then I say to myself, Who knows? You could be HIV positive, too...But how will I know, or better yet, how would you know? HIV does not have a face unless you put it there, meaning if I disclose to my fellow Church-goers, will they still see me as the God’s Angel that I know I am, or will they talk about me on the low and think I don’t know. (Maybe.)

But my God knows and He is watching over me, his Shining Angel. (That’s me.)

D.C.