Published on 12, July, 2020
Maybe a weird thread that's somewhere between icebreaker and creativity group... but it could also just be a place to let off some steam really quick I dunno. My idea was that we could share some poetry we've written and maybe discuss it with each other, but I understand if that's asking a lot since we're not all anonymous here. And with no intentions of gatekeeping or judging by style or skill or what have you - it doesn't have to be professional, and you don't have to have done anything with it or intend to ever do anything with it, hell just make something up right now on the spot to vent or whatever. That's all I want this to be.
To keep it 'relevant' the subject could be about autism or how we've been misunderstood, how you interpret certain things due to autism, anything like that... but not necessarily, I don't see why we couldn't just write whatever we feel like. And again, there shouldn't be any barriers due to skill level, perceived or otherwise.
Perhaps some of us are writers/would like to be and we could exchange feedback on each other's poems. Or you can specify you're not looking for critique and you're just having fun/venting. Maybe I'm alone in this but I just enjoy the ways words can be put together and the various ways the same phrases can be interpreted. I love writing, especially if it means being able to evoke emotions in other people and particularly if it conveys to them how the world looks to someone like me.
Here, I'll go first with a personal favourite of mine, short and sweet:
I used to call them fairies;those little drifting clumps of fluff like the seeds of dandelions.
Even now I see them sometimes and think"fairies"and I wonder briefly if they're alive.
And even now I see myself sometimes and think"fairies"and I wonder briefly if I'm alive.
This is such a lovely idea. I have been writing poetry for years and have never had an outlet for it. I would love to share some of it here
Please do! The literature student in me can go deeper into it, or if you prefer not to that's no problem, but I'd love to read someone else's work!
Fear of Falling
All the things I’ve ever lost are things that weren’t worth keeping
Friends that weren’t there for what I was needing
Girls that were there for a season but always leaving
But all the anxiety of the ones I’ve lost keeps feeding
The fear that I’ll lose the people who stop me from bleeding
My wife’s smile, my best friend’s laughter
The things I’ve finally found that I sought after
That fear of loss never leaves me
Cos I never understood why people left me
Autistic anxiety bangs inside me
All my traumas never leaves me
Healing just means surviving
But I’m breaking free from the chains of my upbringing
My battle scars I’m showing without hiding
I don’t need anyone’s approval of the life I’m living
I look in the mirror and I start believing
That maybe I’m stronger than I’m ever realising
Maybe I’m worthy of receiving
Back the love that I’m giving
Maybe I can trust these people aren’t actually leaving
And maybe for the first time in my life it’s myself on whom I’m relying
Thank you, that means a lot
Im really glad you liked it too
Oh I love this. It's a familiar story - reminds me of both myself and my partner, we've both experienced social traumas of this sort. Trust that we have finally found the right people, friend. And keep looking forward. The anxiety will never completely leave, but with time it should lessen.