Poem #18 for National Poetry Month

This is a bit preachy and sappy, but I kind of like it. It was something rattling in my head today as I subbed at a school as a playground monitor. I watched all the kids playing as that was my job. Most of the “special needs” kids didn’t play or weren't played with by other kids. They mostly walked the perimeter of the playground and watched other kids play.

One, tall special needs sixth grader, asked where the lady was I was subbing for as I was standing in her spot. I told him she was just gone for the day. I moved over to another spot because my being there clearly upset his routine. He was clearly autistic. I watched as no one spoke to them. I did as much as he would speak to me as I was not a part of his routine. 

So I stood there thinking about the term “special needs” as that term has always struck a chord in me as not quite what we mean.

Our Special Place

"Oh, you are special to me,"

The sting of those words

Meant the death of something beautiful

Reality hits and bites

"It must have been a blue-light special!"

She decries as the garment

Comes apart in her hands

Falling apart at the seams

Reality cheap and expensive

Special should be, well, something royal

Some hint of jewel or precious

But unbeknownst to us it has become

Something less than we desire

Reality burns and rings

Special needs child

Each child is priceless, not less

They are extra special

Extraordinary visitors

Who are worth so much more

Than we give

Or notice

They give

They notice

They reach out for us

To make a truly special place

To us both to meet

To exchange

To hold hands

To sing

Songs together

About how special

We all can be