By Dominick Munno
Scene 1: Out of the darkness I am born From nothing I awake For the first time, I can feel Crying, crying, crying but I just don’t know why In this new world, I hear joy From these people called mother and father It all fades to black Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping Am I typical? Scene 2: Everyone sees me as a cute little boy Am I playing like all little boys? I line up all the trains and all the cars Everyone sees me walking on my tippy toes My brain does not ever register it Somehow I do not answer when I am called There are too many other noises for me to hear them I don’t understand why it hurts to look at people Am I typical? Scene 3: Now it is time to go to school A normal place for a normal child I do not know what is different about me All I know is that I can’t stay in my seat Just can’t and have to get up The movement is constant and everyone can see it For some reason, I struggle to focus why can’t I understand It is clear the teacher is reaching out Am I typical? Scene 4: Now I am a teenager, not so cute, not so little People tell me I have to make friends but I can’t communicate like the others The anxiety makes me stim and the stimming makes me stim Stimming, stimming, stimming What must I look like to everyone? It may not matter because I can not make eye contact So I can not see what I look like in their eyes Am I typical? Scene 5: I am now and I am getting stronger I feel more in line with the people around me My strength is improved confidence And creating a deeper understanding Even though it is still hard to focus I’ve learned How to navigate better in their world How people see me may mean not making new friends But do I need those friends? Am I typical?
Dominick Munno is a sophomore majoring in English with a minor in Film and Media. He looks forward to graduating and pursuing a possible career in writing. He was born and raised in Staten Island, New York, but he looks forward to lots of travel in the future. Dominick’s poetry is based on his own life experiences, which can be raw and emotional for both himself and the reader. When he is not writing, Dominick enjoys video games, eating, and comics!