I was delighted to see this poem, originally posted on our FaceBook Group, and wanted to share it on our website.

As some of you who have been assessed at Axia will know, I like the following questions to be asked:

• Why have you come to see me today?
• What difference would a diagnosis make?
• and Do you have any thoughts or feelings regarding the diagnosis?

This poem is an absolutely marvellous reflection and response to the impact of the diagnosis.

Thank you to Luca for taking the time to do this, and for sharing with us this excellent poem.

I’m the weird one

How can you chat just like that?
How do you know what to say?
I can’t look at you I hate eye contact,
why are you looking at me that way?
I don’t really care what the weather is like today.
I’m the weird one.

Why are there so many rules I don’t know?
I just wish I could understand so I know,
So many questions going through my head,
Sometimes it’s just safer to stay here in bed.
I’m the weird one

The feeling I get when I am so unsure,
I can’t quite explain it,
it feels so raw,
I wish it would stop,
as I look to the door.
I’m the weird one

My senses are suddenly heightened,
My clothes feel unbearably tight,
And The light in the classroom is incredibly bright,
Someone is tapping a pen right beside me,
The sound is so loud it completely overwhelms my whole body,
I look all around and feel so alone,
My belly starts churning, I don’t want to be here,
I just need to go home.
I’m the weird one

My music always helps take me away,
Off to a place that I wish I could stay,
I lose myself to that beautiful beat,
till someone interrupts me,
and I’m back dragging my feet.
I’m the weird one.

The answer for all this was there all along,
And now I know it’s like hearing a song,
The melody was beautiful when I found I belong,
I am not weird,
and I wasn’t all along,
My brain is just wired differently,
and there is a name for this song.
Autism makes me a bit different than you,
I wish I had the words to explain it,
but it’s really hard to do,
Just Give me some time and space and soon you will see,
I’m not the weird one,
I’m just me.

By Luca Hayes-Walmsley