Matthew is fifteen years old and a freshman in North Port High School in Florida. He was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at the age of five. He is in mainstream classes and recently started writing poetry as an outlet.
Autism
If at first you do not succeed,
Try, try again to get to the lead
But sometimes in life it's hard to succeed,
Especially with autism, a problem indeed.
Let's start the story
At the beginning of the clock
It's almost as though
My brain has a lock.
It's like living on the edge
When no one is there,
Deaf, beaten, and vision impaired.
It's hard to deal with autism, it's true
But others like me, they deal with it too
Just because we're different in the way we see
And the way we see is differently
That we can still live a life that's very happy
Or live a life of eternal misery.
Our life is like a coaster, up and down,
Either too high or too low, no middle ground
When you try to find peace,
It can never be found
Either way, destruction bound.
It runs in vibrato, which is fast and slow
Like being drunk as some people know
A time bomb at times, getting ready to blow
Or a freezing river that does not flow.
If autism were normal, personalities might glow
Sadly our problems are major, they will never go
Some are moody, some get mad,
Some stay happy, some stay sad.
Itching and nervous, caught in this curse
Only intensify the pain to worse
However the brightest in the bunch
Actually have something like this
For people to understand, that is my wish
Some are so accurate, they will never miss
Others just stare, a boo and a hiss
For they don't know the curse we endure
When they do this, we suffer more
We know we're different, they know we're here
I have feelings, and they will appear
Even though they may seem different, or even weird
Don't laugh at our autism, and please be sincere.
There's one more thing I have to say,
There are more of us born each day.
People should notice who we are, today
And look at us in a different way
Maybe one day we'll all be free
But we're still unique, as you can see
One day autism will have a key
To unlock and complete this mystery.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
Hello, never would have guessed my poem would shown up here...
I'm so glad you saved it since Autism Speaks no longer hosts it, you have my thanks.
If you need proof that I'm really the author of the poem I can happily supply it. It was written in my high school days when I was feeling extremely depressed, and yet here we are, almost 4 years later, I am in college and finding that my poem is still spreading a message, and it deeply touches my heart.
Best of luck as you continue to write, and please, keep going with this, it's a blessing to know we're loved!
Sincerely,
~Matthew Ehrenhaft
I am Matthew's aunt and have shown this poem to countless distraught parents of just diagnosed children who are looking for information at library where I work. It has given them insight and gives them hope. And, Matthew, I am extremely proud of you! :)
Debra Alt
Post a Comment