“Me”
ADHD poems can help people with the condition process the complex feelings that come with the “disorder.” Here, one young man tells his story.
To those who I will meet,
Or those I’ve already met
I must tell you something about me
That you have probably already guessed.
I have a disorder
Called A.D.H.D.
That’s Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
And it’s not just common to me.
A lot of people have it
And it’s very hereditary,
Or, as other people say,
It runs in the family.
So, on to me.
My brain is different than
The brain “normal people” have.
It’s also different than the brain
That other ADHD people have.
I must explain about ADHD
Using examples specific to me.
My brain moves at Hyperspace
From Tatooine to Naboo and then to Alderaan
While you watch the Death Star I’m on Coruscant
And then I arrive back to find Alderaan is gone.
My brain works like this every day
And there is more that I didn’t say.
Let’s continue going this way.
If you watch Brain Games or MythBusters you’ll find
That men are better at spatial awareness
But for me that is not the case
Things that I organize end up horrendous.
And watch out, I may step on your feet
I don’t even notice that you’re there
But don’t think that I did that on purpose,
And don’t even say that I don’t care.
And my selective hearing makes me
Listen to half your conversation
Or sometimes I zone out
And of my conversations I hear none.
I’m really just processing information
Or I’m hyperfocused on another thing.
If I ask for you to repeat that,
Please bear with me. My brain is just flying.
I may drop my pencil
Or binder or stuff like that
I may do this a lot,
So please don’t think anything of me crawling like a cat.
I’m not trying to distract others
When I just can’t sit still
So don’t get mad when that pesky little “H”
Makes my brain go in a windmill.
But it’s not as bad as it seems.
ADHD helps me be more creative,
And helps me think outside the box
That’s helping me think better
And not waste time throwing rocks.
And remember the hyperfocus
That makes me zone out?
While I am doing homework
Other sounds don’t even count
You’ve probably heard the Hanukkah song
Where Adam Sandler names famous Jews
Well I’ll do that about ADHD
And those who have it, too.
Grammy winner Justin Timberlake has it
And Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps does too.
The percentage of kids with it is rising
So maybe someday it will be cool
Cause, today,
it is not.
I wrote this poem about the bullying
That I get for having it
Today everybody has to fit in
By wearing the cool kids’ outfit.
That also works with behavior
And, I act differently than them
And so, because of that
I get condemned.
So, next time you see someone act different
Don’t shame them with hate
Don’t make them feel bad
Make them feel great
The same goes for me
Don’t try to berate
me and others like me
Just make us feel great.
