The Sings
Someone posed the question: What is it that brings you untethered delight, especially when nobody is watching? I’ve a bouquet of such things in my heart, but the biggest flower right now would have to be the sings. May I explain? There are some tells. She needn’t speak. Autism tends to announce itself. It’s her […]
Fat on Silence
I need to write it down. I should do this before true memory fades and is replaced, as it so often is, by a recall that looks like The way I wanted it to be, or The way I think it should have been. This is what we do, being humans of great imagination […]
SHE and DOE
It was a few years ago that I found myself meandering in a quaint little town in western Massachusetts, about two hours east of home. I saw the sign, which read, simply, THRIFT. As a a fervent fan of space and simplicity, I practice de-cluttering my home and […]
I Write You, I Write You Not
I was thinking about not-writing, which is a special collection of behaviors called Really Uncomfortable Avoidance To Silence The Singing Muse, or RUTS for short. It is practiced by word gatherers of all kinds; novelists, playwrights, essayists, poets. Correction: actually, it’s the creative writers who engage in this behavior. Journalists and reporters have such a […]
Today’s Truth
We all have challenges, right? Bink has rocky periods, when her anxiety rises and OCD rears its particularly ugly head. There is no easy or quick fix for these times, though we try many things. When she hurts, I do, too, with my whole heart. I know things will change, because they always do, but […]
Questions, Questions, Everywhere
When Bink was young, I didn’t know if she’d ever be able to ask questions. She had words at age three and four, five and six, but not in a conversational way. She didn’t point at things. Figuring out what she needed or wanted involved some combination of detective work, intuition, and guessing, the […]
MORE AUTISM AWARENESS: RITUALS
AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH: DAY 18 Routines and rituals. Don’t we all have them? Under the best of circumstances, they can add order, meaning and beauty to our lives. For many people with autism, they go beyond that, offering comfort, safety, structure, and learning opportunities. Life with Bink is rich with these practices and observances, ranging […]
Poetry, Autism, and Statistics, Oh My!
Hello! I’m happy to share that my poem, Autismville, won the Songs of Eretz Readers Choice Award Contest, and another of my poems, 7 AM, came in second! If you’d like to see the official announcement, you can click HERE If you voted in the contest, thank you, thank you! This is an international contest, […]
April is….
Autism Awareness Month: Day 1 Dear Reader, You may have noticed that I write about life with my daughter, whose blog name is Bink, on a regular basis. There are poems, and stories, and sometimes pictures of her scribbles, and an occasional photo of her from the back, or from a distance. I am […]
Your Repose
I’m pleased to share this poem, which made its debut yesterday, in the Songs of Eretz Poetry Journal. I’ve included my poet’s notes, which that particular editor requires, as well as his comments. I’m grateful to add another poem to my list of published work. I’m also thankful for the support of my dear readers! […]