The following is a contribution to our EPC "Story Contest". Visit our "contributor info" (link) "recent stories" (link) and "story index" (link).
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Helen Ryles wrote:
The assisted dying bill is so frightening. Particularly for people like me who can be pushed into it. I have a right to live and I mean to stay alive.
It’s been total hell for the last few weeks. I couldn’t concentrate on anything and even trying to write anything caused me to have something like a seizure as if someone had put a curse on me for want of a better way of explaining myself and I woke with severe pain several times a night. I know this must sound really crazy but there’s some very evil people out to get me but I flatly refuse to back down but it is more important than ever that we DO Not back down now. So for everyone who wants them dead we MUST fight this bill with tooth and nail with EVERYTHING we have so nobody else has all the meaningful things in their lives such as reading and knitting and making my dolls systematically take away from me.
It’s been total hell for the last few weeks. I couldn’t concentrate on anything and even trying to write anything caused me to have something like a seizure as if someone had put a curse on me for want of a better way of explaining myself and I woke with severe pain several times a night. I know this must sound really crazy but there’s some very evil people out to get me but I flatly refuse to back down but it is more important than ever that we DO Not back down now. So for everyone who wants them dead we MUST fight this bill with tooth and nail with EVERYTHING we have so nobody else has all the meaningful things in their lives such as reading and knitting and making my dolls systematically take away from me.
Poem by Helen Ryles
Photo Creations by Helen Ryles (from a fantasy novel project now in progress) 
Glad to be me
glad to live as i, with all i can do,
glad when i am not in pain or in the blue
glad that i can read in braille
internet friends and exciting tales
inspiring and comforting dots help me through the bleakest spots
glad for my sense of touch
beauty at my fingertips that mean so much.
with a red and white cane i do roam,
feeling land marks to help me get home.
glad for many helping hands
friends who communicate with me to help me make fresh plans.
glad for vegan meals, fast rides, and challanging climbes, and other such activities to help me through hard times.
glad for many comforting dreams.
vegan lovers turn to ever lasting teams,
people who accept me as me,
i dont wish to be molded, i wish to be free.
dreams of being a published writer,
human and animal rights fighter,
journeys to india ireland and usa,
maybe to visit maybe to stay.
when the ghosts have gone, life will be so much fun
I'm glad to live as me, deafblind vegan and always will be.
Photo Creations by Helen Ryles (from a fantasy novel project now in progress)
1 comment:
Thanks for putting this on your site. I do feel that some clarification is needed. The poem was written by me about ten years ago when I was almost totally deafblind. The narrative was written recently when I have some useful vision but only in optimum lighting. I had sighted help with photographing the dolls who aren’t made by me, I just knitted or sewed some of their clothes. I just thought having someone taking their pictures would raise interest for my work. This might not seem like a big deal but we seem to live in a world where when even Helen Keller is doubted and it’s important to be believed right now. From helene Ryles since I don’t want to write this as anonymous but I can’t seem to add my name any other way.
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