The Torture Wheel
The Torture Wheel
I've written a thousand letters
Phoned thousands of times
Been ignored by hundreds of people
Been told hundreds of lives
I've been arrested for saying in chalk
A truth they don't wanna hear
Been stripped naked because of disorder
Neglected because of fear
I've been beaten a million times
By a person just like you
Reached out to thousands of lives
Tell me now what I should do
I've read hundreds of pages
About behaviour, trauma and stress
Sat at dozens of speeches
Studied all the issues in depth
I've tried to share what I have learned
About the truth I now know
The facts nobody wants to hear
So round and round I go
CHORUS
I'm on that torture wheel
A hot potato am I
I'm on that torture wheel
And I keep on asking them why
I've written dozens of poems
About the plight I am in
Written dozens of lyrics and songs
Almost committed a mortal sin
I've cried a river of tears
Grieved and grieved again
Screamed and wailed at inustice
Been driven to the point of insane
It don't take no rocket science
It don't take no bureaucrat
To know what to do to heal this wound
Just follow the rules in fact
100s and 1000s they spend on bodies
Millions and billions on health
Except when you're emotionally maimed
Then you're supposed to do it yourself
But it causes the greatest pain
In lives and communities
Those that are traumatised
Within society
CHORUS
I'm on that torture wheel
A hot potato am I
I'm on that torture wheel
And I keep on asking them why
Rehabilitation must be the goal
Unconditional care 'til you heal
Not the current hot potato way
The current torture wheel
This poem's just one of many
Exposing lies, exposing facts
Until we all get the help we need
I'll stay upon these tracks
Although my life's of little value
It's not me I do this for
It's for the children, the men, the women
Living hell and much more
If you're on the torture wheel
If you're one just like me
Living at the mercy of ignorant bigots
In mental health and ACC
If you're on the torture wheel
If you're one just like me
It's time to stand up for your rights
To get the unconditional care that you need
CHORUS
I'm on that torture wheel
A hot potato am I
I'm on that torture wheel
And I keep on asking them why
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JR MurphyEight years ago I suffered a severe trauma as a result of a crime, subsequently my life/brain was turned inside-out, so I went from being a law student at Victoria and businesswoman to an artist on welfare. I paint, draw, sculpt, do puppetry, write plays, poetry and songs. Some of my work is beautiful and descriptive of the good things in my environment, however much of it has become political, expressing my pain and frustration at being unable to access care from health services and the continued discrimination by my community.
I have a disorder called Complex PTSD which is life-threatening, however it also has a very creative aspect. Although it has left me destitute and disabled I believe you should make the most of what you have. I want to share those creative ideas I have had and maybe one of them will be successful and help restore my life and spirit to something like it was before.
