Sydney began writing stories and poetry in 2005 at the age of 12 years. Her stories are generally about courage and kindness; her poems, about love. She has written presentations for the 2005 West Coast Symposium for Faciliated Communication, the 2006 ARC conference in San Diego, CA, and the 2010 Conference for the Greater Long Beach Chapter of the Autism Society of Americaa. She has also published two articles and a poem in 'The Autism Perspective Magazine', and published a book of poetry called 'The Purple Tree . . . and other poems'. |
A Poem for Mom You are like a cradle; you love me and protect me but rock to and fro, back and forth about being me. Back, like our dreams of what I might be; Forth, like a tall taste of reality. You are love You are bossy You are black You are white You are my closest friend. God keep you till the end. ~ Sydney's very first presentation @ the West Coast Symposium for Facilitated Communication 2005: I remember being teased at school by boys when I was seven or eight years old. I wanted to scream at them because I can't help being autistic. Before I could block out all the watching people but now I don't even want to. I want to listen to what they have to say. I absolutely love to be with boys and girls once in a while, but they can be mean closed-minded little brats. My life began when I started being able to communicate. Until then I was like a lonely little, and sometimes lazy little, girl. I didn't want to work because I actually saw no point because it didn't help me to communicate. Living like that was only lonely. But Soma came along and lifted open the lid that had kept me in darkness for so long. Once it was lifted glorious light streamed in over my languishing body like water to a thirsty soul. Soma taught Mom how to communicate with me and Mom and I have been talking ever since. Now I can choose my own clothes, make my own decisions, and make lovely friends out of people. *Backly Darlene has been a friend like no other; like when she opened my anxious mind and set me free about learning to talk. Lovely Darlene listens to me like a girlfriend. Good-hearted Darlene has helped me learn how to type on a Dynawrite. I love having a voice speak my words. Now that I can let people know my thoughts, I can actually plan backly dreams. I hope to be a writer one day. Obviously, I am going to have to work at it but it will be a labor you can only dream of. I am actually looking forward to beginning. I want everybody to know the truth about how people feel, particularly about those "Autism" labels. My label of "Autism" is only a word. I does not tell you anything about who I am. In that respect it is meaningless. It will not tell you anything about what I can do. I only want people to know what I am capable of doing instead of what I can't. Labels never fit. They only actually do damage because they stop people from looking deeper, more intensely. "Goat" becomes "stubborn" in your mind because you have lucky labels on which to assume. The lucky label originated in stories your parents read to you as a child and you have persisted in believing them. My label originated in an old medical book that is old and outdated like the fairy tale about the goat. I absolutely love people to be near me. People are persons loving one another, loving life, loving elaborate, lovely people. I actually love people, dolls and animals. Love absolutely is the most important thing in my life. I'm "Past China" because I'm loved by Mom. Actually, lots of people love me, but Mom actually "La la's" with me, and that backly activity helps me to sing in my mind. I love to sing "La la" to all backly music. Singing absolutely makes me feel beautiful; like an angel. I can actually hear Mom and I harmonizing beautiful music; actually hear the love between us. Love is the best feeling. It gives me Hope. * "Back" is a word Sydney uses to mean "deep love". She uses the word "back" because of the wonderful sensation she feels when her back is rubbed or the tingle she feels running up it when she is very happy. The word "backly" used here, therefore means: Very Lovely |
Click Here for Sydney's January 9, 2010 Conference Presentation for the Greater Long Beach Area Chapter of The Autism Society of America |