Wendy Lawson’s well-known poetry reflects the many aspects of a life lived with Asperger’s Syndrome. In this illustrated collection of poems and short prose pieces, including some from her childhood and teenage years, Wendy engages with her past and present, writing frankly about childhood, self-discovery, adulthood and friendship. Her poetry also conveys the day-to-day challenges presented by divorce, bereavement, emigration, disclosing homosexuality and Asperger’s Syndrome.
Both reflective and life affirming, these poems offer evocative glimpses of the Asperger experience and will enrich readers’ understanding of autism spectrum disorders.
Mục lục
Introduction. Childhood. 1. The Journey of Life. 2. Transition. 3. What is Play? 4. Please accept me. 5. What is time? 6. Lost. 7. Words. 8. What Do We Mean? 9. Space and Time. 10. Travelers 11. Change. 12. Moving Away. 13. Routine. Discovering Self. 14. So This Is Me! 15. Questions. 16. Wendy. 17. Becoming. 18. I Used To, But Now I… 19. My Body. 20. Care. 21. Indecision. 22. Autism Is. 23. So This Is Life. 24. Walking. 25. Relationships. 26. We are Walking Through a Valley. Adulthood. 27. Autism: My Gender. 28. Miracle. 29. The Group. 30. What Is Love? 31. Commitment. 32. Words 2. 33. Seasons. 34. My Love. 35. Time For. 36. I Know. 37. Easter 1992. 38. Tim. 39. Matt. 40. Mr Breeze. 41. The Quiet. 42. Sometimes. 43. Doubt. 44. Love. 45. Seasons 2. 46. Christmas 1993. 47. The Season of Advent in a Small Swiss Village. 48. Indecision. 49. Where is Wendy? 50. Today. 51. Empty Thoughts. 52. Ode To A Supervisor. 53. Torment. 54. What Is My Name? 55. Autism Is (Also). 56. Bob and Joan. Friendship. 57. For Emma. 58. Ayumi’s Parting Song. 59. Feeling Safe. 60. Happy Birthday. 61. Attention Poem. 62. Doubly Drawn. 63. Wendy (take 2). 64. The Tree of Life. 65. Rain. 66. My Princess of The Deep. 67. Our Time. 68. Knowing You, Knowing Me. 69. The Last Supper. 70. The Future. Interests. 71. Of Interest. 72. Ode to the Blackbird. 73. Blue Tits. 74. The Pelican. 75. The Swan. 76. Flying High. 77. Clothing the Shadows.
Giới thiệu về tác giả
Dr Wendy Lawson, a psychologist, qualified counsellor and social worker has operated her own private practice for many years. Wendy was awarded fourth place as ‘Victorian Australian of the year’ in 2008. Originally diagnosed as being intellectually disabled, then in her teens as being schizophrenic, and finally in 1994, Wendy was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. The mother of four children, Wendy has been married, separated and divorced, has experienced the death of one of her teenage sons, lost friends and status due to being openly gay, faced ill health and recently is coming to terms with the fact that she is aging! Wendy’s youngest son is also on the autism spectrum.