I have had my fingers burn with crimson delight,
electricity climbing nerves like a zig-zag bandit
to the top, tips glowing like thunderstorm light
proudly proclaiming desire. From there, the glow becomes
contagious, ever spreading throughout my
expanse of skin until I bloom, effulgent and dangerous –
I rage and flow inside every Cimmerian night.
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Tag Archives: asperger syndrome
Threads (for Autistics Speaking Day, 2011)
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,–
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile…
— Paul Laurence Dunbar
One might believe that there is an incongruity
within a doctor who can rescue a young toddler
playing in a sea of vomit inside of a South Indian hut
eviscerated by a village’s cholera outbreak, but yet
finds himself becoming windswept detritus tossed
from coast to coast by a stomach which demands
a constant schedule. One might place
his wide-armed compassion of raising that boy himself
and his Richter scale tremors at finding his office disturbed
as light-and-dark contrast Polaroids, and wonder
if the two men were even the same:
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“High School Jungle” in Hyperlexia Journal
Greetings, readers!
“High School Jungle” was published in Hyperlexia Journal on Friday, October 14. It was written about my own experiences with being bullied in high school.
Hyperlexia Journal is a literary journal about the autism spectrum that publishes poetry, fiction, and personal essays. The editors of Hyperlexia seek “genuine and truthful writing about autism”.
New Video Version of “You Don’t See It” on Youtube
The newest version of the video for my poem, “You Don’t See It”, is now available on Youtube. This is the version that first aired at the April 2, 2011 Awe in Autism Live Event. Included in the video is some of my own artwork specially created for the poem. Watch below. I hope you like it. 
My Poem, “A Theology of An Autistic Body” Published in qarrtsiluni
Hellow RWP Readers!
My poem, “A Theology of an Autistic Body“, was published yesterday in qarrtsiluni. You can also hear me reading the poem on the podcast for that day on its website.
Qarrtsiluni is an online journal of poetry, prose, and art which publishes themed issues each quarter, with one poem/piece of prose/piece of artwork per day during each issue. This poem was published as part of the imprisonment issue — the contributors for that issue examine the idea of confinement, either voluntarily or involuntarily. “A Theology”, for me, is a statement about the sometimes voluntarily withdrawal that I sometimes need as an adult with Asperger’s Syndrome.
So, go check it out…as well as the rest of the fine pieces in the latest issue
My Poem “Lamppost Hierophant” Published in Shift Journal
Greetings, RWP Readers!
One of my poems, “Lamppost Hierophant” was published today at Shift Journal. It had been written for Sam Drezner, the son of documentary filmmaker Todd Drezner. His latest documentary, “Loving Lampposts” takes a look at his son’s autism, neurodiversity, and the current autism debates.
Go check out the poem. And while you’re at it, take a look at the rest of Shift Journal as well. It’s an eclectic publications whose contributors attempt to define autism as a legitimate way of being in the world.
My Poem, “Color (A Modest Plea)” Republished at Autism and Empathy
Hey folks! My poem, “Color (A Modest Plea)” was republished at the brand new Autism and Empathy website today. The website is dedicated to busting myths and debunking the common stereotype that autistic people are incapable of empathy. Go check it out!
-Nicole
Protected: NaPoWriMo #24: Crash
My Poem, “Color (A Modest Plea)” Published at Shift Journal
Greetings! My poem, “Color (A Modest Plea)“, was published today in Shift Journal of Alternatives: Neurodiversity and social change.
As you might surmise from the journal’s title, the journal’s premise is that autism has existed all along and it entertains “the notion of autistic as a legitimate way to be in the world, from the crossroads of theory, society, and personal experience”.
The poem was inspired by a piece by Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg of Journeys with Autism which appeared earlier this month in Shift Journal, “An Open Letter to Robert MacNeil Regarding PBS’ Autism Now Series“. I used the same quote by Robert MacNeil from the series to jump-start this poem as one of my NaPoWriMo poems. Please jog over to Shift Journal to read it, and check out the many other contributions in the journal about autism and neurodiversity.
-Nicole
NaPoWriMo Poem #13: Pretending to Be Normal (Eye Contact)
If you try to look into my eyes
you might succeed, if only for a moment
until I feel your gaze incise
and my skin wires buzz with too much current.
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Putting the Awe in Autism: My Poem on TV and Other Thoughts
First, an announcement: an excerpt of the video of my poem, “You Don’t See It”, was featured in a Long Island TV FIOS segment about Awe In Autism.
The segment has been posted on MyLITV’s website in two videos. Part 1 features Awe In Autism, its founders (Deborah French and Kim Covell), and some of the work featured on the site, include the excerpt of my poem. Part 2 features “for dylan”, a song and music video which the founders call “the song behind the Awe in Autism” project.
In and amongst this bit of news and self-promotion, I feel the need to express a couple of things. First of all, if I haven’t said it before, my thanks and gratitude go to Awe in Autism for giving the opportunity for my poetry, namely “You Don’t See It”, to be featured on their site. AWE has given many autistic artists, musicians, poets, and others an opportunity to have their work seen, heard, and accessed. Also, as Kim Covell states in the first video, artists with autism often have a harder time self-promoting, and while I’ve gotten used to it thanks to the Internet, I must say I still find the task daunting sometimes. I am grateful for the opportunity for my work to reach a wider audience and go beyond this blog thanks to AWE.
Secondly, as I have said before, “You Don’t See It” is probably my best statement and expression to the world of what having Aspergers/being autistic is like. The experience of self-discovery and acceptance has been joyful and at times painful and overwhelming — but probably the most significant thing I could say is that is has been enlightening. And through it all, the craft of writing and poetry have been a conduit and a means for this journey.
Writing is my native language. I am much, much better at the written word than I am at oral communication: there are times that my tongue fails, but praise God my pen does not. This is part of my reality as an autistic person, and is true for many others. The poetry helps me say what sometimes my lips cannot. I hope I have given you, the readers of RWP, at least a glimpse or a peek at what that reality — and my reality as a whole — is. I also hope that through the poetry on this page that I have reached you, moved you, made you think, and most of all, made you feel.
Finally, please consider not only watching the videos of the segment but visiting Awe in Autism to see the vast, wonderful spectrum of art by creative and talented autistic individuals. I can promise you that you will not be disappointed, but amazed at the breadth of expression the site has to offer.
Saludos,
Nicole
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Stumble It!
Attention Autistic Writers/Poets! Call for Submissions (Journeys With Autism)
Rachel Cohen-Rottenberg, author of the Journeys With Autism blog, is welcoming submissions for an upcoming anthology of poetry and prose by people on the autism spectrum aged 35 and over. She says below:
I welcome all pieces of writing about your feelings about being autistic, your experiences, your sense of yourself, your view of the world, your work history, your relationship with your family, or any other area of interest to you. You can write about your life pre- or post-diagnosis, you can share your experiences as a child or as an adult, and you can take a personal and/or a political point of view. The possibilities are as varied as your feelings, perceptions, and life experiences.
I welcome submissions from those who are self-diagnosed as well as from those with an “official” diagnosis.
The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2011. Pieces must be emailed to rachel AT journeyswithautism DOT com. For further information and submission guidelines, please visit her call for submissions page.
-Nicole
