‘Hey June. It’s nice to see you again! How are you? ... No mum today?’ Cassie is trying to peer into the dark hallway as June steps out into the street and closes the door behind her. She stops, squinting and blinking in the sun. She needs her sunglasses but the door is closed, … Continue reading Rhapsody in June.
Tag: Autism
The quiet places
Alone in the quiet places of whispers, Sighs and prayers where words Are solemnly kept in black and white I unfurl I unfurl I unfurl In the gentle music of the rolling tide At setting sun where the seagull soars And cries of longing the freedom of the air I unfurl, I unfurl, I unfurl … Continue reading The quiet places
The light of day
Here, in the dark, I can't move on. The path is lost, the light is gone. No star above to show the way Nor mem'ry of a brighter day . I can't go on, I can't be led, I have a rock stuck in my head All night I roll it here around On the … Continue reading The light of day
Hiding in plain sight
I borrow a smile, or a gesture. The way he walks, The way she styles her hair, A certain laugh, A way to shake a hand. I pin these things I find to my chest Like discarded leaves from the forest floor, Dead layers of camouflage, But underneath I disappear.
Catching fish
Together in the water, Knee deep in it, I feel so unsteady, uncertain, It might as well be up to my neck. My surefooted neighbour stands poised, Keenly watching the flow, Understanding the form and movement, Knowing when to dip and flip out a fish. I don't see what she sees. The patterns of the … Continue reading Catching fish
A time to rest
And now it’s night and so to bed To soothe this aching in my head. To let the bright of day depart And rest this burdened mind and heart. This busy world too much to bear, So much to do and not much care, A thousand things and all are tough, My fragile mind is … Continue reading A time to rest
Reframing
On arriving they gently took my coat. Fond wool and warmth, Buttoned high, Moulded to fit and pass Protected through crowd and storm. Its comfort was missed. What they gave me back wasn’t mine. Its shape all wrong, Seams sewn haphazardly, hurriedly What had fitted now hung awkwardly Heavy on my shoulders. The wool itched … Continue reading Reframing
You shouldn’t walk on the grass
This way I go as I’m told to. This way I walk to obey. Ahead the path I must follow. The path I must walk every day. Broad and wide is the pathway Smooth the ground is to tread. And yet it’s the things they don't see, The things at the sides, that I dread. … Continue reading You shouldn’t walk on the grass
When the words left me
In one instant the pressure and then the click Of a landmine Which you just triggered Not even realising you were on dangerous ground. One small misstep and the world drains of colour Closing in to one breath, One heartbeat, So loud you think they must hear it. All the words fail and fall away. … Continue reading When the words left me
E. Travelli 