Submitted by Janine on
Last year, I wrote a poem (a pantoum) called 'This Place' about visiting my son in the adolescent psychiatric unit where he spent four months (read it here).
He now has his own flat, living independently with support. So I decided to write a follow-up poem of the same length in the same style, hoping that this will illustrate the wonderful progression.
Submitted by Janine on
I come to see you in this place
A train, a bus, a longish walk
A mask of growth veneers your face
We picnic, catch up, laugh and talk
A train, a bus, a longish walk
They brought you here to make you well
We picnic, catch up, laugh and talk
You've questions, jokes and tales to tell
Submitted by Janine on
Why do you like that tuneless music?
Wear your hair the way you choose it?
I think you get it it, then you lose it
Why can’t you just be normal?
Can’t you make yourself conform?
Do anything that’s near the norm?
Don’t you know there’s a uniform?
Why can’t you just be normal?
Submitted by Janine on
The Stealth Aspies are touring our one-hour show, Autistic Anonymous, over the next couple of months.
Digital flyer attached.
Submitted by Janine on
Submitted by Janine on
On five consecutive evenings, Janine performs her poetry as part of the remarkable hour-long Autistics Anonymous show by the Stealth Aspies at the Brighton Fringe Festival.
Submitted by Janine on
I rise to call my first dead witness
Counsel may contest his fitness
for his part to testify
to tell you how he came to die
He leads a host of souls to tell
their stories from a bitter well
of negligence and ignorance
of culpable indifference
An inquest has been held for each
but now this hearing must impeach
the system which we'll hear has let them
Submitted by Janine on
Janine's autistic poetry closes this one-hour show by all-autistic theatre group the Stealth Aspies.
Venue: The Arches at St Marys Church
High Street
Putney
SW15 1SN
Submitted by Janine on
Janine will be performing autism-related poetry as part of the one-hour 'Autistics Anonymous' show, at Battersea's Theatre503.
Submitted by Janine on
Teen sneaks out for a late-night flick
eighteen-rated, knows the tricks
Make-up makes you older, see -
facial hair and fake ID
But teenage Ethan -
He sneaks out for a different reason
Teen snuck out to a punk rock gig
armed with safety pins and cigs
Slipped out the back to an all-night rave
Es and whizz and misbehaves
