Wednesday 20 May 2009

Ode to Autism


‘Just a single.’ I raise a finger

and a waitress nods and leads me to a single

chair at a single table, deep inside

a City eater.

It’s several days

since I saw my son.

He’s a ‘single’;

spending big phases

alone.

The thought’s like a shudder

carried over water

to another shore

 

but in dodgems, where bumpers

bang and shock,

he shakes

with glee: delighting

in a burn and crash

contained in space

with loved-ones close

and surly fairground helpers

bound by electricity.

 

One time in Ireland,

the owner let us ride again and again

for free. He’ll meet Saint Peter.

 

But now I whisper to myself

below a lunchtime hubbub

in a City of London restaurant

that here are tons of people, tough

as gulls, alone, forever squalling

lonely

on and on above the sea,

buffeted by what happens next

and whatever’s meant to be.

32 comments:

  1. Have caught up on all of your past post that I have missed over the past few days. This current one and the rest are from a true wordsmith, a poet with heart.

    A.J.

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  2. Very powerful and moving stuff, as ever. Brilliant. Thank you for sharing your work with us.

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  3. marvelous poem. just bookmarked your blog. intend to visit frequently. have you ever seen this film? http://www.benx.be/eng/defilm.asp indelible impression. hope it moves you as it did me. thanx for your contributions to expansion.

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  4. Yes, yes. If only we enjoyed being buffeted as much as he. The thought like a shudder carried over the waters to another shore - Nice. The whole thing is excellent, resonating on multiple levels. It provokes a philosophical wonder. We're all going through this impossible existence...no one ever knows

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  5. This is beautiful--I love the natural diction and cadence.

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  6. I like the gull/sea/sky imagery – great use of the word ‘squall’ (double meaning) and exploring the idea you can be lonely in a crowd i.e single and lonely aren’t the same thing. Well done

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  7. I can relate to your sentiments here. Well done.
    Laura

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  8. Absolutely lovely. You moved me. Thank you
    Rebecca Fraser

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  9. I am incredibly moved by this poem....I particularly liked:"He'll meet Saint Peter". Indeed!

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  10. I have read this one before but I liked it so much I read it again..j.

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  11. Beautiful. Just plainly beautiful all around.

    Wish I could mold sentences like you do. Keep up the great writing!

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  12. Glad I found this after following one of your tweets!

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  13. You got me with the "shudder". Beautiful.

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  14. "...tough as gulls" Love that line!

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  15. First poem of yours I've read and I love it. So many stories riding in this poem.

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  16. Hey, that truly is a 'real poem' well impressed

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  17. A very moving poem. I must say, after reading this; I shall never be same again.

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  18. Lovely. I have a son with autism.

    Stacey

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  19. Not bad. I am diagnosed with asberger syndrome. They called it a well-funcsioned autist. But that means nothing to me. I'm the same person anyway.

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  20. Love those tough gulls.

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  21. Sweet as honey and rough as a callous. Beautiful widgets and tad-bits.Excellent poem ! !

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