Say thank you
or please
Don’t forget to use a fork
when eating your broccoli and peas
Why are you tapping your feet
Stop making that sound
Why do you get so quiet
when she comes around
Why aren’t you listening
can’t you hear what I say
You ignore me, constantly
every single day
Why did you fail this test
when you claim to be better than the rest
And why can’t you sleep through the night
there’s something wrong, you’re not right
Why do always want to stay home
only weirdos want to be alone
Devereaux, look at me
your mood swings are driving me crazy
Me, me, me
but not you, you, you
if you paid attention
these symptoms wouldn’t seem new
My body is collateral damage
of a brains hostile takeover
and just seventeen years in
the course is hardly over
Sure I could do drugs
and calm the tension
Sign me up to snort some lines
off a prostitute’s ass
but what example would that be
to others on my path
So I do math
the best I can
and at making friends
I’m just another also-ran
But I write like hell
and on my thoughts you dwell
so that, like me
you can fight the bias and insecurity
that those on the spectrum face
we may be slower
be we’re still running this race
I don’t see where those with Asperger’s are slower. Your minds are quick as a whip and the creativity flows. Social issues are a problem for many not affected by it. I struggled to do math throughout school, but that’s not my strong suit and neither is it yours. That doesn’t make us slower. We just have different assets.
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Reblogged this on Creative Writing Reblogged.
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
EXCELLENT EFFORT!!!
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Thanks Jonathan 🙂
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Intensely raw and your writing packs so much punch. Amazing! 🙂
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Thanks a lot Charlie. I appreciate that.
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You welcome my friend. 🙂
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You DO write like hell! Another powerful, raw, riveting piece.
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Thank you so much. I appreciate that 🙂
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Just stating truth.
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🙂
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I am a big fan.
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Thank you
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Powerful.
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Thank you Marisa 🙂
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Reblogged this on Let me give YOU the Moe-down.
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Appreciate the reblog Daria
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Your poem – conveys how frustrating the useless phrases are because the meaning does not connect with the neuro-atypical brain. And yet as a classroom teacher I have said some of those reminders too many times. Oh that I had even a sliver of insight into the neuro-atypical brain when I started teaching.
Each of your poems is like a glimpse of one facet of the asperger diamond. A brain that reflects reality in a different way.
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Thanks for the kind words Jasper 🙂
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I have submitted a workshop proposal to a teacher’s federation of about 800 members. My proposal has been accepted to be presented at a key time slot in their 2 day event. My topic is to share with teachers what it is like to live as a neurologically atypical person. I then want to challenge them in looking at how that translates into the classroom when they have neuro-atypical students under their care. Many of the classroom practices are counter productive for these students. I hope to give them some tools to work with to address the needs of such students.
Now here’s my request. You can do this as a blog post or you can send it just to me.
Request: What would you want to say to classroom teachers if you had the opportunity. You can put it into poem form or any other form you decide. Convey how a teacher can either contribute to a child’s failure or at best some additional challenges. Or you could convey to a teacher how they can create a classroom environment that helps neuro-atypical students succeed.
I would love to be able to share that , giving you credit for something that I didn’t experience growing up as I am dealing with a later in life ABI.
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This is an incredible opportunity. I’d be honored to write something regarding this. What time do you need it?
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A conference like this takes advance planning. I have till mid October to prepare. I will need the time to think it through on how to create a workable picture. I see in your poems glimpses that would bring understanding to those who are wanting to understand. One challenge for me is, will I have the endurance for a 90 minute presentation. Don’t want my neural fatigue to become the case in point.
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Appreciate the offer, Jasper.
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