Live Through This

‘Don’t You Think’ is a poem written by student, Rose Traynor-Boyland and encapsulates her view of the medical system at the beginning of the pandemic.

The Author, Rose Traynor-Boyland wrote this poem from her lived experience as a disabled, chronically ill person during the pandemic. She was inspired to write this poem when she saw a news report about the priority lists being developed in hospitals. These lists essentially stated that disabled, chronically ill, elderly and queer people’s lives mattered less than their able bodied, young, straight peers. The reasoning given in the report was that queer people couldn’t continue the population and disabled people had a ‘lower quality of life’. Rose was distressed by the notion that her life had any less value than other people her age simply because of her medical conditions, so she wrote the poem entitled ‘Don’t You Think’.

This show centred around what the ensemble felt were the biggest issues facing our society. The works covered topics such as domestic violence, rape, violent crimes and ableism. ‘Don’t You Think’ was performed as a group poem in ‘Live Through This’ and the Author was able to work with the actors to achieve the desired impact.

Don’t You Think

By Rose Traynor-Boyland

You look at my charts,

my medical history,

you see the acronyms before you

but the real me? is a mystery.

Because if you took a chance

and dove into my real history,

you’d see that I am full of passion,

not held back by my disabilities.

But to you, I am just another chart.

A jumble of letters and fumble of numbers

staring back at you on a monitor.

To you, I’m just a patient, not someone filled with wonder.

But I have just sat back,

as these two years went by

and heard countless people

tell me that I should die.

I know that you thought that

your words weren’t meant for me.

‘Cause I’m young, bright and healthy,

as far as you could see.

‘Cause you don’t think it matters,

When the sick people die.

But you seem to fail to see

the beauty in our lives.

You never see the joy,

or light that we bring to

the lives of those around us.

So, now I’m asking you…

Don’t you think it’s scary,

the thought that you can decide

whether or not I am even worthy

of being alive?

Don’t you think it’s scary,

when humans become numbers

and letters and facts and stats?

Doesn’t that make you question our culture?

Don’t you think it’s scary,

when lives are rated in value?

When who loves who and who does what

decide who you should rescue?

Don’t you think it’s terrifying,

that whether or not someone goes back

to who they love all comes down to letters on a page

and what you deem are facts?

Don’t you think it’s horrifying,

that human lives can be reduced,

right down do who does what

and who loves who.