Culture Section – Literary and Artwork

Part one: Literary

Thank you to Emma, a 21 year old with Asperger Syndrome for the following contributions:

Ethan I Am

Ethan I am
A brown eyed boy with strange ways
I sit quietly avoiding your gaze
Oblivious to those around me as I self entertain

Ethan I am
When something is taken
I’m quick to scream and cry
But understand the purpose of my vision just died

Autism I am
Affected by light and sound
My brain wired differently
I spin round and round
Clutching at only one toy
I can be a very confusing little boy

But I am Ethan
Sing song voice and dark hair
Be patient with me and endure my inability to share
My difficulties to speak aloud
As my thoughts drift above the clouds
Even though it may seem I’m far away
Don’t be blue, I love you
In my own unique way

***********

Within The Sphere

Drift off, what’s the use
Shut down, feel too confused
Blank stare, hard to control
Noise and light start to take its toll

Sit still, cover my ears
Why won’t this just disappear?
Try to escape to a different place
Think of all the stars in outer space

Red star, cool as night
O stars luminosity ignites
Born from some obscurity of cloud
Flaming out against the darkest shroud
Tick-tock, what’s that?
Time’s up, go back
To reality, sorry I’ve been oblivious to
what’s surrounding me

Sight & sound make me spin
Effecting like needles piercing at skin

Mind abuzz, deceiving me
It’s understood that my brain acts differently

Struggle with people to connect
Seems I’m doing something incorrect

A little out of the ordinary, is that so wrong?

Why don’t I fit in, why it’s so hard to belong?
Well I’m through. This isn’t something you or I can undo
This is who I am, my identity
A being with strange ways and peculiar idiosyncrasies

Part two: Artwork

The drawing below is by a girl also called Emma, a 10 year old client with ASD. The drawing is of her Case Manager who by the time you see this, should be somewhat slimmer than depicted.