SOCIAL OUTCAST

Written for the 1976 Special Olympics.

I have no arms I have no legs but still I try
To fit into society its do or die
My heart is not made of stone
I need to be with my own
Dog eat dog its the life we breed
To compete with others I have a need
I hear no sound and I can not see
But life must have a use for me
For within my body I have a mind
To help solve problems of any kind
There are few differences between you and I
When we are we both will cry
For my difference no one is to blame
But people look at me with shame
If only the truth we are the same
So just except me the way I am
But I guess they just don't give a damn
                 Bear

Author's Note

I leave most punctuation to the reader that they can read the poem in their own meter, mood and motility. I thank you for taking the time to read my work.

Reviews

[Bala Gorthi]

Even this day also all the differently abled and the dyslexics are not given their proper place and respect they deserve. Society looks at them with sympathy at the same time making them feel inferior. A society can only grow in real sense when it treats them as our equals with a difference, just a little compassion and empathy makes a being worthy of being called an individual. Though much awareness is being created these days, still the society has not changed to the extent it should have.
Your this write is very touching in that every aspect showing their thought and their expectation from us very well. It is their yell very softly written. Your pain at poor reception of that event then is felt in every word of this write. Thanks for giving the link to it.. :-):-):-)

[Bear]

Glad you enjoyed it, in 1976 it wasn't well received as people didn't want to take notice of anyone handicapped.

[Bala Gorthi]

These days the Paralympic events are getting good coverage. But still the slower ones in society, the dyslexics and those who are lacking in interpersonal skills, they all go through a lot of pain. Everybody is mad after speed and apartness. So, For me, your poem is relatable to present also expressing the pain of all those..

[E Ma]

This poem really depicts the internal conflict some people (like my sister) experience trying to fit into society and have friends. I believe it has to do with social anxiety, although I am not quite sure if that was what you were trying to say. Anyway, beautiful poem, metric, and rhyming. There are a few spelling mistakes like except (I believe you were meant to say accept) and where it says "If only the truth we are the same", maybe it was "If only the truth were the same". Please keep writing, I love it.

[Bear]

Thank you and your right about the accept, I used except as a play on words hinting at exclusion rather than inclusion and it fell flat. I wrote this 39 years ago and the Special Olympics wasn't treated very well back then and my silent wording protest when unnoticed completely :(

[E Ma]

I'm sorry to hear about that. It didn't fall flat, it is still good. Don't worry, some day our voices will be heard and the loud hypnotizing voices of corruption and evil will deminish.

[Tom McRoberts]

I really like this. It reminds me of Avicenna's 'flying man' thought experiment, in which he asks us to imagine a man cut of from senses, so as to find the soul/mind. Similarly, you remove the limbs, hearing and sight, to show us how similar we all are beneath, how we all feel. Keep it up!

[Bear]

Thank you, that is what I had in mind when I wrote it but alas the Special Olympic promotional board did not. Anyway thank you for your encouraging words.

[Millzy86]

really cool poem I can strongly relate to the whole concept and it's also left open for the individuals interpretation

[Bear]

I had a friend who helped organize the 1976 special Olympics in Seattle who ask me to come up with something to capture the over all spirit of the competition and as you can see by this poem I failed miserably.