Learning to love myself
finally embracing my neurodiversity,
I am reminded
that lovely old maple tree in my backyard
was great for climbing,
even though it didn’t bloom until the summer.
In the world, I am alone and lost in thought,
and I fall hard and often.
In the tree, I am free to climb without fear
and I grab branches, step, pull climb
to new heights no one else can reach
I think only of my path
and only when I am finding it.
I explore my world,
and when my friends fall,
they land on soft ground.
Now, I write what I have done, seen, and learned.
What I have to offer the world
and people I do not know
have not met, have not seen
know of me, and my tree
and see their own trees and meet them.
R. Elliott Martin is a neurodiverse poet, Civil War historian, rock and blues musician, and recent graduate of the history department at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia where he works as a tour guide. Originally from Southwest Virginia, he enjoys playing bass guitar around town and exploring historic sites throughout the Old Dominion and elsewhere. His poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Streetlight Magazine, Exquisite Death Ezine, Arlington Literary Journal, Poetry Breakfast, ARTEMIS Journal, Jerry Jazz Musician, The Monterey Poetry Review, The Copperfield Review, and numerous other publications.
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