{This poem was first published here on April 1, 2009)
The Face of Autism
The face of autism lives in my home.
He is often confused.
He is rarely smiling.
He is dismayed by change.
He makes odd food choices.
He often shows a lack of understanding for the feelings of others.
He repeats things endlessly.
He has quirky habits.
He can be downright surly.
He is lit up by music.
He is gentle with babies.
He shows great compassion for visible suffering.
He occasionally shows great intuition.
He will entertain toddlers for hours with silliness.
He has a deep love of the Mass.
He has an innate piety.
He navigates a world he does not understand better than I could.
He is the child who made us parents.
He taught us so much.
He is the face of autism in our home.
He is my joy.
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