Janine's Party: Poetry

The following poems were submitted by students in a poetry class I teach at the Plus Company in Nashua, New Hampshire.

This Is Me

by Sam L. Hampton NH

I have eyes that cannot see.

This makes certain things harder for me.

I use equipment that can talk,

and I use a cane to walk.

I read a six-dot code called Braille,

and use audio books when it does fail.

Because I cannot drive a car,

someone else has to bring me far.

Because of Asperger's I have trouble in social situations,

like when to come into conversations.

I also have a lot of anxiety,

and a lot of sensitivity.

This causes me to have trouble dealing with unexpected sensation,

like heat, cold, pain, or changes in walking elevation.

I also will go for a good hug,

and good food, chocolate, a good book, a warm drink, blankets, and family time are my drug.

I am different as you can see,

but please accept my disability.
You might find a friend in me.

Dear Readers,

I am very excited to be heading up the Poetry Section of this website. Our goal is to give children, teens and young adults with disabilities a voice. We want to hear from you. In my experience as someone with disabilities, I have found that many people make the assumption that those who have disabilities aren't able to achieve much. That's just not true. This is an opportunity to share your poems and be empowered.

Over the years I have faced many challenges due to my various disabilities. My biggest accomplishment was graduating from college with a BA despite the fact that others didn't believe that I could do it. I know that it is not easy to have a disability but each of us is unique and talented in our way, and want to be accepted and respected.

Janine's Party Poetry Section is now open for submissions.

How it works:

Submit an original poem using the prompt:

What Would You Tell The World?

Email your poem, subject line: Poetry to Janread@aol.com

When you submit your poem you are giving us permission to post your poem along with your name and state. (Please indicate if you don't want your last name noted.) We are going to be posting the best poems, but all people who submit will be added to a drawing for a free autographed copy of the book Janine.

Check out the poems below. The four poems listed were written several years ago by students at Crotched Mountain School, Greenfield, NH for a poetry anthology I compiled called, Voices From The Mountain.

We look forward to hearing from you. Happy Writing!

Janine Leffler

Dumb As A Crumb

By Jason Adam Richards - Crotched Mt School

If only my teachers back then could see me now.

They’d see that their backwards comments

were as twisted as my mom’s hair in curlers.

Many people now can see as plain as day

That my ambitions and pride go first

and pave the way.

Respect, that’s what I deserve,

It’s what I need to get along with people.

It’s a mutual thing, a two way street,

Most often the road I like to travel on.

My first thought when I see their faces is

“Now that I think about it, you are the ones

who are dumb as crumbs!”

________________

Who Are We To Judge

By C.N. Freeman- Crotched Mountain School

Judging is for contests.

We are not the prizes.

Judging is for contests.

Your skin is not the wrapping paper.

Judging is for contests.

Please do not stop and stare if we win.

You won too, our respect.

We are one race, the human race!!

____________

Fears of The Real World

by Amanda Simons- Crotched Mountain School

People say the fears I have,

Are fears of the real world?

They only say it's only normal

And that

It's a sign of growing up,

To fear the things I fear,

And

To think the things I think...

Who are you?

And what makes you the expert?

I sit and ask myself

What gives you the right to tell me

What is right or wrong?

They tell me they can see my dreams

Slowly slipping away

But they don't know the dreams

I hold deep inside this heart.

And

People say I won't make it far,

But I sit and ask myself

Who are you to tell me

What I can or cannot be?

And who are you to tell me

What I can or cannot do?

And

The Fear of not knowing

is what scares me half to death.

But my question still remains the same

Who are you....?

and what makes you the expert?

_______________

Outrageous

By Patrick L. James- Crotched Mountain School

Outrageous

That’s what you think when I wheel through the hall,

But you self-righteous people know

Nothing at all.

Outrageous

Is what you sometime see,

but you know you could never handle the

real me.

Outrageous

Is what you think you have seen,

but you don’t know that's just me being clean.

You think I am always that way everyday,

but you know that a lot of you staff stereotyped me the first day.

You may think that I am the hardest cognitive student you met,

But baby you have not seen nothing yet.

___________

Note: When you submit your poem you are giving us permission to post it along with your name.

"The stone rejected by the builder

has now become the cornerstone."

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Poetry