Poetry

AFP photo

By

Kristen Flannery

Reefer Madness

I don’t want to live in a world

in which our policy makers,

would rather see our children

Suffer from hellish seizures,

than ingest a harmless plant

with zero negative side effects.

A plant that can save so many lives,

and keep people from living in pain.

A plant that does so much better than

all of the Big-Pharma meds put together.

One of my long time friends suffers from epilepsy. After watching my friend struggle with the countless negative side effects that the plethora of prescriptions she is required to take, have on her, I wrote my poem entitled “Reefer Madness”. I wrote this poem after reading a multitude of peer-reviewed research articles that have been written about the positive impacts that medicinal marijuana, specifically CBD oil, often have on reducing or even entirely eliminating seizures in people who suffer from this debilitating and terrifying disorder. While the harmful medications that my friend has to take do not prevent her seizures at all, they merely reduce the severity of some of the seizures that she has. Even with all of the medication that she has to take, she has life threatening seizures on a regular basis. Whereas those who take CBD oil often times do not have seizures at all, once they begin this form of treatment.

Unfortunately, unless someone who is suffering from seizures lives in a state in which medicinal marijuana is legal, they risk getting into a lot of trouble with the law for using this medicinal, non-psychoactive, and harmless oil that comes from a plant. It is more than likely that those who suffer from seizures will not take that risk of getting into trouble for using something that can save their lives. Instead, they continue suffering, even though there is another, incredibly beneficial option out there for them. My heart breaks for these people and their families. Why should those who suffer from seizures have to live in pain and fear, and even lose their lives, just because Big Pharma and our government has decided it is not okay to use a plant for medicinal purposes? This is why I wrote “Reefer Madness”. In hopes that my words might help to change the irrational laws surrounding medicinal marijuana, that some states are still holding onto. 

Police Officer

Police officer

Peace officer?

Powerful or

Power trip?

Protector or

Perpetuator?

Polite or

Pissed?

Pacifier or

Punisher?

Proclaimer of

“Pay the price.”

I wrote “Police Officer” in response to the police brutality, as well as the attacks on police offers that have taken place all over our country. I have several, incredibly amazing friends who are police officers and I respect them very deeply. However, I see both sides of this issue, and that is where the poem entitled “Police Officer” came from.

Kristen Flannery

Kristen lives in the majestic Rocky Mountains of Colorado. She will receive her Master’s Degree in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Poetry, in March of 2019. With her lyrical and melodic poetry, Kristen aims to help others feel less alone. She desires to change the world for the better, and help those who are struggling. Kristen also hopes to unite readers with others, and help to stop the divisive nature of our county.

You can follow Kristen at Penned.It.True on Instagram and Facebook for poetry and positivity. Find her on Instagram, here: https://www.instagram.com/penned.it.true/?hl=en On Facebook, here: https://www.facebook.com/Kristen.Marie.Flannery/?ref=your_pages