Between the Lines of Autism

Poetry

By Joshua Davies

Publisher : SilverWood Books

ABOUT Joshua Davies

Joshua Davies
A collection of twenty poems exploring the effect of Asperger's on an intelligent young person.Each poem is a window through the eyes of a 19 year-old Autistic youth who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome. Joshua Davies sees the world from a different perspective to others. Some of his poems More...

Description

Between the Lines of Autism is a collection of twenty poems by Joshua Davies. Each poem is a window through the eyes of a 19 year-old Autistic youth who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome. Joshua sees the world from a different perspective to others. Some of his poems demonstrate the grueling obstacles he faces in ordinary life whilst others demonstrate his interest in literature and general art. Each poem has been difficult to write, as some people with Asperger's find it challenging to explain not only their emotions but also the sights and visions stored within their minds.

Read on and look between the lines of these diverse poems, written so anyone of any experience can understand their meaning and deep symbolism. See the poetic views of a determined young adult who lives between the lines of normality and abnormality.

Joshua Davies suffers from Asperger Syndrome, a form of Autism. His symptoms are constant extreme anxiety and reluctance, difficulty communicating and expressing ones-self and emotions. He has a constant compulsion to appear as normal as possible so not to give away any of his quirks. Apart from all the negative aspects he experiences, Joshua has shown to his family and peers that he has a high level of intelligence and willpower, advantages for him coping with his condition. He has constantly tried to show his intellect and talent over the years; only recently has he found a passion for English – a subject he was never expected to excel in (he has only recently read his first novel and poem). Other than this collection he has drafted two novels. Joshua is constantly being tested mentally because his mind works differently to others. He has, and still is coping with, sexual confusion and frustration, isolation, loneliness, suicidal tendencies, and a constant caging of emotions, along with the fears of missing out on his youth, life after death, and his uncertain future beyond education and his providing parents. Apart from issues relating to Asperger's, during a crucial period in his Year Nine education his parents separated. He moved with his mother and brother from his home in Wales to Newcastle Upon Tyne, his mother's birthplace. He now lives back in Pembrokeshire, Wales after more than two years in Newcastle. He has been studying at his old secondary school's six form and at Ysgol Greenhill Six Form where he received a C in A-level English and has passed an Open University course in Literature. Joshua also won the Prince's Trust GoodFund Educational Achiever of the Year for the North East in 2009.