I Never Promised You A Rose Garden

The following is a poem I wrote about the novel I never promised you a rose garden, an autobiographical novel by Joanne Greenberg 1964. Here's the link to read up about it from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Never_Promised_You_a_Rose_Garden_(novel)

I never promised you a Rose Garden.
My health is my own.
When you aren't looking,
the me you know, fades.

I am in a place all mine.
Mine follow me, take care
of me, the way you don't,
can't, wish for, hope they will.

Sometimes I am good, I am here.
Most times I'm bad, I'm there.
The place you left me is
lonely and mean.

The attendees watch me.
I am no criminal. I'm a
criminal to my own.
Alone I'm with company.
With company I am alone.
I never promised you a Rose Garden.

Melissa Snell
29.I.09