Grace is tending bar in the dVerse Poets Pub and has invited Andrew to guest host. Andrew asks us to use an issue we feel strongly about, raises our ire ~ and write a poetic rant. I composed this poem in 2012, I feel as passionate about it today as I did then.
I watch as they stare
snicker under their breaths
'retard' the word Carl hears, I hear
stop! I scream inside my head
JUST FUCKING STOP
my son is a thinking, feeling human being
who happens to be developmentally disabled
he is kind, funny, generous, trusting and capable
he makes everyone in his life "better"
ignorant people like you
people who snicker and stare
humiliate and mock
do not deserve to walk on the
same side of the street with him
Bravo, Helen! 'he is kind, funny, generous, trusting and capable
ReplyDeletehe makes everyone in his life "better".' [It's the same for my adult son.]
Dearest Helen,
ReplyDeleteReactions by other people like that, are revealing more about THEM!
Carl is a human being and has a SOUL—just as all others and we ought to respect that.
Oh, how they stepped on our soul when at a party we told them about our deaf/mute foster daughter. The question was: Could you not find a NORMAL one?! That makes you almost want to hit them.
What is their definition of normal to begin with?!
Ever heard of class and compassion...
One day, when standing before their FINAL JUDGE they will have to answer to lots of questions!
Give Carl a tight hug from me and from Pieter from above—that's the place from where they can protect and guide loved ones on their life's journey.
💞
Hugs,
Mariette
Well said 💜
DeleteThank you!
DeleteI so agree with and applaud every word. I am thinking of the nasty comments made about Tim Walz's beautiful loving son, proud of his dad - purer hearts do not exist. Unkindness is terrible - but it hurts those who give it more than the one it is aimed at - those pure, loving spirits made for joy. An awesome poem, Helen, and a mother's lion heart.
ReplyDeleteVery well said, Helen. People can be so cruel and thoughtless in their reactions to people who are different from themselves.
ReplyDeletehurt people, hurt people. it doesn't take away from or forgive the hurt they cause, but to me, it makes it a tad more understandable. ~
ReplyDeleteFrom what I have seen, people who are special in their needs, elicit very special responses (and love) from their families and friends and it is crying shame that not every one can see that, Helen. Thank you for sharing this poem for the prompt... 💜
ReplyDeleteWell said, Helen!
ReplyDeleteI can't stand people like that! Love your beautiful poem, Helen! ❤️
ReplyDeleteHe is better than a thousand snickerers. Some people just never develop emotionally past grade school. Grr!
ReplyDeleteWonderful, Helen! "He makes everyone in his life better." This is newly relevant given those who made fun of Tim Walz's son, Gus, for showing unabashed emotion. People like that are what's wrong with this country.
ReplyDeleteHeartfelt poem about your son. He makes everyone in his life better, and that is good enough for me.
ReplyDeleteYour heartfelt words, Helen, touched me and made me angry.
ReplyDeleteI agree--They "don’t deserve to walk on the
same side of the street with him"
It makes me sick and angry that people react this way. It makes me think of the recent MAGA types making fun of Walz's son Gus.
Reading this made me so mad, if he is a kind person with a caring soul then he is better then name calling sods
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this, Helen. Such cruelty in the world.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I finally found this tab, recovering "bookmarked" tabs from last summer's cyber-snafus...It needed to be said.
ReplyDeletePeople who genuinely have autism scare a lot of other people. I tend to edge away and try not to provoke them. Extroverts are more likely to deal with the fear by acting like jerks. But more of us should at least be aware that OUR FEAR OF OTHER PEOPLE'S DISABILITIES IS OUR DISABILITY.
I don't even want to try to live with one of The Nephews who is borderline deaf. (I'm specific about disabilities. Blindness and mobility impairments are easy for me to work around. Deafness and cognitive impairments are not.) For years it's been, send the others any time for as long as you want, but keep that one at home unless the one who's chosen the role of Deaf Interpreter takes full responsibility. But at least I own that not being able to deal with deafness is my fault, my problem, my disability.
arrrgghh Google...that was I, Pris cilla King
ReplyDelete