Explaining My Mental Illness to my Boyfriend

 Love, I have something to tell you 

Everything I am about to say is true

Even when you think I might be fibbing 

I am honestly telling you how I was living

You can take me as I am or leave me while you can 

The strands of words from my mouth 

Will sound like emerging powerful shouts 

But I promise this is what I need to do 

Because I really want to be with you 

My past is disturbing 

But I don't want it to be unnerving 

I have freed my self from the fire 

And have you in mind as my future desire 

Mental illness is a strange term 

Reflecting on it make my stomach term

I associate pain with my dignosees 

As they are constantly carried with me 

My total being has been encompassed in so much pain

Where the hurt has never been justified or explained 

I have gotten close to death 

More times than I should have ever been

I have spent many of my years in psychiatric hospitals 

Treatments, medicines, therapy- every thing we though was possible

You see these scars on my body?

Self-mutilation became my new hobby

My life was crumbling to pieces day after day

Even when I prayed for the good times to come and stay

A certain day comes to mind 

When I decided that this life was mine 

 With a hard-working and persistent attitude 

For the first time in my life I made it through 

You are most likely to be shocked and somewhat confused

But I am confidently proclaiming the truth. 

So I want you to be completely honest with me

Can you deal with me and my disease?