POETRY CORNER
Iris
By Paula TIMPSON, MA
On The
Spectrum Poem
By Jerrice J. BAPTISTE
Iris dances through Art
Her beautiful Maine Coon cat by her side
inspiring her to create
beautiful
Monet-like paintings
The autistic have such
creative potential
we can see if we look
with new eyes
Iris in the UK
silent butterfly she is
a dream of goodness and
light
Paula Timpson, MA. special education, is the mum
of a 10-year-old boy who is her forever muse. A
published poetess, her poetry books, including In
Praise of Autistic Children, can be found on Am-
azon.
Websites: http://paulaspoetryworld.blogspot.
com & http://paulaspoems.blogspot.com
58 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 72
I rub his head in my lap, saying, “It’s okay
Dean. It’s okay.”
He shuts his ears with his palms.
A world of high pitch voices, humming of air
conditioning, and a song,
“Good morning. How are you?” trapped in his
mind.
I lull his head in my lap.
We rock back and forth, and repeat together
in harmony, “It’s okay Dean. It’s okay.”
The morning circle breaks. I pick up eight
name tags, ABAB pattern of circles and
squares, clouds and sun.
Jerrice J. Baptiste is a poet, au-
thor, and educator who has
been published in The Cruci-
ble; So Spoke The Earth: An-
thology of Women Writers of
Haitian Descent, Inc; African
Voices Magazine, Chronogram;
Shambhala Times; Hudson Val-
ley Riverine Anthology; Events Quarterly; Human
Journey Magazine. Her poetry in Haitian Creole
and collaborative songwriting is featured on the
Grammy Award-winning album, Many Hands:
Family Music for Haiti, released by Spare the Rock
Records LLC. Jerrice is the author of eight books.
She resides in the Hudson Valley, NY.