Flash of Recognition

To my new little brother; I am glad to have met you.

The flash of recognition in your eyes

Keeps me hanging on to that shard of hope

That you understand our connection,

And that I see in you a little brother

Whose hand I’m holding into life.

The thunder of chaos in your eyes

Strikes your face with wild fury.

I feel the pain in my chest as I sigh,

Dumbfounded by the simple fact

That you will never comprehend

The entirety of human nature.

You can only ride with the tide

Like a mindless fish,

Governed only by the little handful of empathy

Your inner self can reach.

Sometimes I can see you connecting to me.

Sometimes I can measure the gleam in your eyes,

And for a moment in time I think you know me.  

And yet still you wander aimlessly,

Following every thought that occurs

As it occurs,

Whipped around like bird

In a relentless storm of consciousness.

In  summary, my little brother,

I never want to know what it’s like

To be you,

But I thank the heavenly skies

For getting the chance to know you.

 

Author's Note

I care for a severely autistic young man who is my age, and I care very much for him. As I was mopping the floor for company just a few moments ago, I was thinking of him, and ran to the computer to pump out this in-the-moment free verse. I know it's crappy structure, but... it means a lot to me.