Taking Up Space
by Amber Sheppard
Eenie meanie miney moe
Which trauma dare I expose
To Lay bare my struggles
Is to admit defeat
Without exposure
The darkness festers
It grows more and more resistant
To love and compassionate gestures
My reflex is to explain my disabilities
To put my inadequate mind at ease
On the surface I seem composed
Underneath my panic grows and grows
You see my friend, my liege
My canine companion, my noble steed
What’s wrong with her
Is she faking
Eyes avert, gazes go down
But I am here. I am now.
My energy you are taking
I am trauma
I am more
I am trauma
My mind at war
I am autistic
I am more
I am autistic
Not ashamed anymore
I am anxious
I am more
I am anxious
Nervousness forever an underscore
I am depressed
I am more
I am depressed
living is a chore
No matter my brain
Despite the pain
One thing for sure
I’m still here
I am brave
With her at my side
About the Author
Amber Sheppard, 35, of Pearl River writes poetry on trauma, ability, and the complexities of the human condition. Her favorite library branch is the South Slidell branch on Pontchartrain Dr.
