This
rambling poem came from watching a news article about a local company called
Provail that helps those with disabilities get jobs. They are a great
organization that helps so many. I really like that society is changing in that
we are looking to give people work to do not just setting them aside
anymore----at least more people are getting jobs. We still have a ways to go!
Check out the link on the title of the first poem as it is an interesting idea I stumbled across too of things I wonder about the Lewis Carol story. The tie-in to disability is interesting.
It
also reminded me of a guy I once met when I was working as an Easter bunny
photo booth in a mall. Even though I had a son on the spectrum and I met this
guy that had some of the same obsessions that my boy did at the time, I kept
him at arm’s length. I found out soon after his birthday party that he died. I
felt horrible for not going to the party. He was a kind guy that always made me
laugh. Anyway….
The
other poem in the same vein is because our Boy is raising butterflies at
school. It is the school’s scheme to keep him coming daily to check on the caterpillars,
and it is working brilliantly. He is very excited about his butterflies!
Alice
Down the Disability Rabbit Hole
Tipped
in gold
The
tops of treasure troves
And
kings and queens
Bow
down unseen
The
workers are invisible
The
way indivisible
With
liberty and justice for all
Unless
you are small
Way
down on the scale
Holding
mop and pail
You
work very hard
Some
think you’re scarred
But
you show up
With
so much you cope
The
day to day
Makes
you okay
Better
than most
Along
you float
Someone
said you’d never
Still
you endeavor
To
persevere
You
are revered
Not
for whom you aren’t
But
for where you start
See
what you can do
Away
from the zoo
That
is what people tell you
They
don’t have one clue
What
you are at heart
I
am ashamed to say
One
day, I turned away
From
your adult counter-self
I
still recognize
In
his eyes was little boy—you
I
was friendly and polite
But
he wanted the right
To
really be a friend
I
was a dope
He
invited me to his party
I
said, like a smarty,
That
I “might” come
And
wouldn’t tell him where I’m from
Least
he show up on my doorstep
Later
I learned news and wept
That
he died as I slept
Another
friend showed up to his party
I
had no idea
What
that meant
It
changed my tune
When
he died so soon
Without
my notice
Just
a mop and pail
He
could have been in jail
Or
been institutionalized
I
didn’t realize
Working
as hard as he did
He
wouldn’t have another bid
At
a friend
I
didn’t bend
But
you can
Give
all a hand up,
Not
just clink into a little cup
Walking
away abrupt
Stay,
give, sway,
A friend,
a job, a trade,
Thanks
for today
Butterfly
Dreams
A
worm with hair
You
pause to care
As
they wriggle
You
giggle
Always
looking up
From
that capture cup
Where
they writhe
Crawling
around, collide
You
tell me their story
And
how they will glory
In
the summer’s plants
In
great fields with expanse
How
their children will have children
You
have all this filled in
Your
mind going over every detail
Making
sure they aren’t frail
You
plan how to feed
Raise
their plants from seed
You
have decreed all you’ll need
To
care for these painted ladies
And
how soon they’ll encase
In
a cotton-spun race
Themselves
all bound
Until
wings are found
Inside
formed and adorned
Weeks
later they are born
Ripping
down the shroud
Not
making one sound
Wings
unfurled
Open
to the world
You
are delighted
With
these caterpillars undaunted
Those
grow daily like you do
My
little Boo
I
get as much joy
Seeing
my little boy
Crawl,
cocoon, to encase someday, I trust,
To
emerge with wings and bust
Out
to fly in a garden of delights
With
his own children
Or
his own million
A
beautiful butterfly
My
little guy
Butterfly,
take to the sky
Fly
away home!
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