Nami (National Alliance For Mental Illness) Poem by B. V. Dahlen

Marthas are in the kitchen
The Marys seated calm
The speaker, moving, fidgeting
And I without a qualm

Am moving, helping, fixing,
I lean to spoon the beans
Sometimes I make announcements
I guess it's in my genes

Our NAMI group assembles
Our fellowship a gift
Together we are stronger
We help each other lift

The burdens of our lives
We share and eat and learn
A community of strangers
Is bonded by concern

For each and every person
Who carry stigma's stain
Together we can banish this
And walk with pride again