My poems about autism

Over the past year, I have written about my life as a man on the autism spectrum through poetry. They express how life can be frustrating for a person on the spectrum and how I hope to have a brighter future ahead of me.  I have also written a poem recently about my summer home of Marshfield, where I have been for the past 24 years. My poems have been praised by bloggers, such as Claire LaZebnik, Susan Senator, Jessica Wilson of A Diary of a Mom, John Elder Robison, and Laura Shumaker. I have also been lucky enough to get acclaim on the poems from people such as folk singer Tom Rush, Hollywood cinemaphotographer legend Haskell Wexler, banjoist Eric Weissberg, Pema Chodron, Timothy Shriver, Playboy journalist David Sheff, countercultural satirist Paul Krassner, Youngbloods singer Jesse Colin Young, and record producer Van Dyke Parks. I also get an email letter from President Obama commending on my autism activism. The poems and the list of blogs featuring the poems are listed below. I hope everyone enjoys the poems!

Just a Normal Day

Never knowing what to say

Never knowing what to do

Always looking for clues

Just a normal day

Feeling unsure

Totally perplexed with everyday life

Always on edge never certain

I wish I could lift this curtain

Needing to constantly satisfy my need for information

Always online searching for new revelations

Going from site to site

Obtaining new insights every night

Trying to connect with people my age

Attempting to reveal my unique vision

But ending up alone and unengaged

Feeling like my life needs a total revision

Just a normal day

Can’t You See

Can’t you see

I just want to have a friend

Can’t you see

I need the same connections in the end

Can’t you see

I want a good job

Can’t you see

I need to have stability and be part of the general mob

Can’t you see

I want to be independent on my own

Can’t you see

I want to be able to have my own home

Can’t you see

I want the same things as everyone else

Can’t you see

I want to be appreciated for myself

The Ode to the Autistic Man

Try to understand the challenges that I face

I would like to be accepted as a human in all places

Where I will end up in life I don’t know

But I hope to be successful wherever I go

I would like to expand my social skills in life

Making new friends would be very nice

Stand proud for the autistic man

For he will find a new fan

I hope to overcome the odds I face today

Increased acceptance will lead me to a brighter day

By the age of 20, I will have made tremendous strides

I know in the future, life will continue to be an interesting ride

I have made new friends by the year

I will be given tremendous respect by my family and peers

I hope to get noted for bringing the issue of autism to the common man

So that autistic people can be accepted in this great land

Stand proud for the autistic man

For he will find a new fan

I hope to overcome the odds I face today
Increased acceptance will lead me to a brighter day

Marshfield Memories poem

Today is a beautiful day on the beach
There are plenty of people and dogs to see
The water is warm and the sky is bright
And seeing some people flying a kite

I am having a fun time with cousins and friends
Hoping that this day will never end
The ocean and sands are comfortable and feel so right
Taking a walk towards Brant Rock in the strong sunlight

Now it is the evening of the third of July
Watching the amazing fireworks from the seawall go by
Talking with family about the latest moments of the day
And meeting some new friends along the way

It was a great time on the beach today
Reading a book and going into the ocean on a bright clear day
These are moments that I will remember for a long time
Being on the beach on a nice warm day is truly sublime

The blogs with the poems- Laura Shumaker’s blog- http://www.laurashumaker.com/scott-lentine-poet-autism-activist-friend/ with subsequent lists of blogs at the end of the post

No Guile- http://noguilelifeandotherstoriesfromautism.blogspot.com/2013/01/poems-by-scott-lentine.html

Janet Amorello’s blog Blending with Autism- http://janetamorello.blogspot.com/2012/12/oh-people-weve-met.html

Autism Wonderland-  http://www.autismwonderland.com/2012/11/understanding-autism-through-poetry.htmlFlutie Foundation http://www.flutiefoundation.org/About-Autism-Scott-Lentines-Poetry.asp

 Asperger’s Association of New England: http://www.aane.org/blog/2012/10/17/poetry/

A Diary of a Mom http://adiaryofamom.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/scott-lentine/#comments
Asperger’s Association of New England: http://www.aane.org/blog/2012/10/17/poetry/

Claire LaZebnik’s (she is married to Rob LaZebnik, who was written some episodes for the Simpsons and is based in Los Angeles) blog  http://clairelazebnik.com/2012/10/03/a-guest-post/

John Elder Robison’s Look Me in the Eye Blog
http://jerobison.blogspot.com/2012/09/some-poetry-from-scott-lentine.html

Seth Mnookin (author of the Panic Virus) blog http://blogs.plos.org/thepanicvirus/2012/09/13/poetry-by-scott-lentine-about-life-on-the-autism-spectrum/

Flannery Sullivan’s Living on the Spectrum blog http://blogs.plos.org/thepanicvirus/2012/09/13/poetry-by-scott-lentine-about-life-on-the-autism-spectrum/

Dr. Tony Attwood’s website http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1020:cant-you-see-by-scott-lentine&catid=216:poetry&Itemid=722;

http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1019:just-a-normal-day-by-scott-lentine&catid=216:poetry&Itemid=722;

http://www.tonyattwood.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1018:the-ode-to-the-autistic-man-by-scott-lentine&catid=216:poetry&Itemid=722

Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid blog http://www.shutupabout.com/blog/?p=1701

Love that Max blog http://www.lovethatmax.com/2012/08/wishes-from-man-with-autism.html