Don't Call Me Alex

In this world
of Autism
What goes on
in your head?
Your brilliant mind
misunderstood
You would tell us
if
you could

My favorite student
(though I should not have a favorite)
has stopped coming to school.
I struggle with this.
She is so loved here,
yet I see both sides,
as a parent.

She is still too young
to always get her way.
She does not
want to come to school.
What teenager does?
and I'm pouting about it:)

We have
a student
in our class
Obsessed
with birthdays
Everyday
he would want to talk
about his, yours...
the dates accumulating

We had to tell him
we could not speak
of birthdays
until May
and he accepted
this explanation...
So, I created
a birthday bulletin board
for May

I asked each parent
to send
a baby picture
A celebration for all!

and they did...

I received a picture
of Peter
at Christmas
maybe three days old?
Tucked inside of
a stocking
labeled in glitter
with the name
Alex

Alex?
Why Alex?

and his mother explained
that when he was just two,
he said,
"No Alex,
I'm Peter"
and so
Peter he is