Autism

by Tracy Weston
^{(creative writers at www.morewriting.co.uk)}
I have autism
Which means that sometimes
you speak too fast
Words queueing up
A traffic jam inside my head
Beep! Beep!
Feeling impatient, feeling tired
Your face moves so quickly
Changing each time I look
I don't know what it means.

Sometimes I get scared
I'm confused, you're unaware
I flap my arms, bite my hand
Sometimes I SCREAM!
Bang my head on the walls
But I don't know the words
I don't know how to tell you
That I'm feeling sad.

There are times when
I prefer to be alone
So many noises; faces; words
I don't want to be touched
Brain going into overload
Like a computer I'm going to crash!!!
Happy, angry, sad
I have emotions
Just like you.

So don't mind me
If I use the wrong words
Pull weird and funny faces
Sometimes I get stuck
Like a scratched DVD
I do the same thing again
again ... again ... and again.
Other times I say nothing
Nothing at all.
I could be the best friend
You've ever had.