Introduction:
This is a poem I wrote earlier today at school, inspired by a conversation I had with an American family friend (Blair) about my autistic experience. For now, this will be my last poem on the subject of autism. I want to write poems on other mental health-related subjects, inspired by meeting one of my cousins while my dad was in the hospital. As an update for those who are curious, he got home earlier today.
My cousin has cerebral palsy, and I learned how she’s excluded simply because of her differences, not because she isn’t enjoyable to be with or anything like that. I know because I have spent a lot of time with her since I met her. And I would have spent even more if it weren’t for our obligations and the fact that she lives in Germany. I think more awareness and openness would help.
For my future poems, I will be learning directly about conditions through people themselves, their parents, and their caretakers, with the help of a local special education school that is connecting me with some of their students (with parental permission). It’s not just for the awareness of others, but ultimately for my own as well. None of us are all-knowing; learning about others is a crucial aspect of living a full life. The more we judge, the less we see the truth.
Anyhow, this is what you can expect to see from me from now on. Also, if you are someone with a diagnosis yourself, a parent, or a caretaker and want to help me learn about this condition or conditions, please reach out. You could do so through X (formerly Twitter) or through the contact page on Mute Moment. If you use the contact page on Mute Moment, please select “Mental Health Experiences” as the category, as this helps emails reach me more quickly.
Without further ado, here’s my poem.
My poem:
My head is a balloon, stretching, growing;
thoughts are pouring in, never slowing.
Bigger and bigger, skin is getting tight;
no more room, but still they fight.
Colors scream, sounds become touch;
everything is too little, yet too much.
Pressure is building, cannot let go,
till POP! My mind is all aglow.
Feelings burst out, a wild display:
happy, sad, angry, all in one day.
Cannot control the flood, emotions fly
like fireworks painting the sky.
I try to catch them as they fall,
but they slip away, beyond my call.
Exhausted, drained, I start anew;
the balloon inflates, here we go, round two.
Sometimes I find a pin, let out some air,
before the bang that is hard to bear.
This cycle is tough, but also true:
my mind is a wonder, if you only knew.
Reset
Behind the stolen face
