From Pain to Poem: Two Poems about Living with Migraine

Writing poetry can provide a creative and therapeutic outlet for people living with chronic migraine. Sarah Alexander-Georgeson shares two poems about the short-term and long-term effects of this illness.

Writing has always been my solace, and writing poetry has been a passion of mine since I was a child. It has helped me express myself in ways I haven't been able to communicate verbally.

It's a more creative outlet to share how I'm feeling than screaming into a void or crying into a pillow. And it’s an alternative when I feel like I'm wittering on to friends and family about migraine pain (despite them telling me that I rarely talk about it). Poetry allows me to escape into words.

Warning

Molten lava behind my eyes,

slowly burning my body.

I'm paralyzed

numb,

can't move.

Will my brain explode?

The throbbing in my skull is dull,

powerful.

You can feel the vibrations,

right?

It's a major on the Richter scale,

how am I the only one experiencing

this intensity?

It's moving mountains,

breaking bones.

This head of mine,

made of stone

I can't hold it up,

it's concrete,

should come with a warning sign.

'Danger. Caution'

thunder, lightning,

a tornado of agony and exhaustion.

Never-ending,

endless darkness.

I'll turn to ashes.

Another Day

Another day lying in bed,

lights out, curtains closed

a demon clawing in my head.

At the back of my eye

at the nape of my neck.

Can't sit up,

my body’s a wreck.

I couldn't move if I tried

hemiplegic, numb,

feeling broken on one side.

Unable to concentrate,

I can't even speak,

I've never felt so weak.

It takes an ice pick to my brain

chipping away

my skull shattered from the pain.

I feel sick,

I feel dazed,

it takes away so many days.

I live with various types of migraine. I refer specifically to hemiplegic migraine in “Another Day.” Still, besides a few lines in that poem, I feel like both pieces could relate to any type of migraine I get.

I've never written solely about migraine before, but I really enjoyed this. It was challenging and cathartic, and I will definitely include more migraine poetry writing in my ever-growing list of things to do.

The information presented is solely for educational purposes, not as specific advice for the evaluation, management, or treatment of any condition.

The individual(s) who have written and created the content in and whose images appear in this article have been paid by Teva Pharmaceuticals for their contributions. This content represents the opinions of the contributor and does not necessarily reflect those of Teva Pharmaceuticals. Similarly, Teva Pharmaceuticals does not review, control, influence or endorse any content related to the contributor's websites or social media networks. This content is intended for informational and educational purposes and should not be considered medical advice or recommendations. Consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and before beginning or changing any treatment regimen. 

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