G.O.A.T. – Divabetic

Enjoy this poem, A Little Respect, by Lorraine Brooks. Lorraine shared this poem on Divabetic’s podcast inspired by Aretha Franklin.

Over the years, Lorraine has shared poems shedding light on society’s shame and blame directed at people with diabetes’s size and shape. Aretha Franklin struggled with several undisclosed issues (pancreatic cancer, type diabetes, tobacco use) and fluctuating weight issues throughout her career. It’s been reported that at age 34, Aretha started yoyo dieting with alternating weight loss and gain.

A LITTLE RESPECT by Lorraine Brooks

Look at me.

Look at the pain

In my eyes.

All that you see

Is my

Overweight size.

Inside is a person

Who needs to

Be heard.

Needs to let go of

The hurt

I’ve incurred.

I’m not uninformed

And I’m not unaware.

I am not lazy

And yes, I DO care.

I haven’t abandoned

My health or my needs.

I’ve just redefined

What it means

To Succeed.

I am not here

To live up to your charts

Or conform to your standards

For my body parts.

It’s not called depression

It doesn’t need meds

I won’t go to blazes and

I won’t drop dead.

I don’t have the answer

To all of life’s queries,

I don’t want to hear about

All of your theories.

Just treat me with value

As part of the clan

And do not compare me to those

Smaller than.

Look at me

Look at the smile

I reflect

And treat me with love

And a little

Respect.

Enjoy this episode of Divabetic’s podcast with music from Aretha Franklin.

Aretha Franklin was considered the legend of legends, a groundbreaking singer with the fortitude to transcend race and genre, using voice as the bulldozer to break down every barrier set up in her way.

Aretha’s health journey sparks a discussion about the uncertain connection between pancreatic cancer and diabetes. Long-standing diabetes can be considered a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. It causes a modest increase in the risk of 1.5- to two-fold. Other risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking, chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), family history of pancreatic cancer, obesity, and specific genetic syndromes.

Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Dr. Wendy Satin Rapaport, Diabetes Strong’s owner Christel Oerum, Beautyphonics CEO and “Beneath The Makeup” Author Suzanne Perez, Jessica Clark, and Trisha Artman.

This podcast features music from Aretha Franklin’s ‘Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics’ courtesy of SONY Music.

Diabetes Late Nite is a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”

Tag: G.O.A.T.

A Little Respect by Lorraine Brooks

A LITTLE RESPECT by Lorraine Brooks