There’s nothing quite like nonsense verse to tame the untameable and tickle the intolerable. For those of us living with MS, hypersensitivity is an unwelcome guest — one who taps on your nerves with a tuning fork and hands you a cactus instead of a cushion. But if we give that guest a name, a personality, and a rather silly hat, we might just laugh them into submission. And so, let’s meet Miss Hypersensitivity, who simply cannot bear the world as it is.
Miss Hypersensitivity’s Most Unpleasant Day
Introduction to verse
Hypersensitivity in MS is a symptom where the skin or nerves become over-reactive to normal sensations — a breeze can sting, a sock can feel like sandpaper, and a simple hug may be more torture than comfort. Unlike pain that stems from injury, this comes from the misfiring of the nervous system. It’s often misunderstood, frequently invisible, and always inconvenient. This verse takes that raw nerve and dresses it in a tutu, giving us a chance to see it for what it is: annoying, yes — but also ripe for ridiculousness.
Easy Pleasy
Miss Hypersensitivity hated the breeze,
It tickled her kneecaps and whispered with tease.
She wore seven scarves in the height of July,
And earplugs to muffle the blink of an eye.
She tiptoed on marshmallows, padded and neat,
Yet yelped at the kiss of a cotton-wool sheet.
Her tea had to cool for three days and a half,
And hugs made her yowl like a startled giraffe.
She frowned at the sunlight, she gasped at the shade,
She wept when her paperclip poked at her braid.
A raindrop once tapped her umbrella with grace —
She fainted and cried, “Such a slap in the face!”
She once banned a whisper for being too loud,
And scolded a cloud for not wearing a shroud.
She dressed in silk pillows and jellybean boots,
And lined every sock with twelve layers of mutes.
Still, nothing could dull her enormous alarm
At a breeze or a cough or a lukewarm arm.
For Miss Hypersensitivity, life was a fright —
A gentle massage felt like vampire bite!
Reflection
For people with MS, hypersensitivity is more than just being delicate — it’s like living with your nerve endings set to “maximum drama.” Whether it’s tactile, thermal, or even emotional overstimulation, it can turn everyday comforts into chaos. Like Miss Hypersensitivity, we may not be able to reason with it, but we can reframe it. When discomfort becomes absurdity, we gain just enough distance to breathe. And when the world touches too hard, sometimes the softest thing you can do is laugh.
The following links should not offend the hypersensitive soul:
A sensitive soul is the mark of an empathetic nature.
Conclusion
Hypersensitivity can hijack your day — and your dignity. It’s exhausting, baffling, and easily dismissed by others who can’t see the pain behind your polite wince. But here’s the twist: you’re allowed to name it, poke fun at it, and reclaim your relationship with your own body. Verse becomes therapy, and absurdity becomes armour. Maybe you can’t stop the sparks under your skin — but you can put them to paper and make them dance.
For more whimsical relief from life’s strange sensations, explore the full collection in Nonsense Verse: Joyful Gems for MS Minds.
If hypersensitivity insists on turning every breeze into a battle, let your verses be the sword — absurd, defiant, and lightly feathered for the win.
Living with hypersensitivity means navigating a world that feels louder, sharper, and more intrusive than it should — but turning that experience into playful verse gives us a way to process it without being overwhelmed. Through nonsense, we can soften the edges of even the prickliest symptoms and share the sting with a smile.
We started this exciting, nonsensical journey from landing page for this section.
