THE CAVE
AUTISM\'S ANTHEM
By invitation only ...
Welcome to my private cave.
This is where I live,
For you see I am autistic.
Not everyone is welcomed,
Especially not the uninvited,
I do not comfortably entertain.
As for guests there are some rules:
Please do not invade my personal space
Nor violate my persona with unwelcomed touch.
I ask that you don\'t speak or laugh too loudly.
Painful sensory overload can be triggered by such.
My sensitivities are beyond your comprehension,
I cannot expect you to understand.
Though my behavior may be socially inappropriate,
I\'m simply doing the best that I can.
Being called upon to interact
With the world outside the sanctuary of my cave
Can be a challenging, often shattering experience.
Wounded I retreat into its soul healing womb.
Trapped in a realm apart from your world
I struggle to find peace within this nightmare.
With autism there\'s little hope of awakening.
Solace is sacred seclusion, deep within the cave.
Sung from the hearts of all so afflicted
To those with whom we share our world,
In the hope of greater understanding
This poem is offered as autism\'s anthem.