Don’t Judge ……



Don’t judge....

You must think I cannot hear you,
You must think I cannot see,
But I am just a mum, of a child with ADHD.
You think you could parent him better,
That you could “sort him out”,
That it’s discipline he’s lacking,
And he just needs a good clout,
You do not understand or know him,
But yet you stand there and judge,
I take a deep breath and smile at you,
And hold not a grudge,
I’ve built up broad shoulders,
Become stronger than I ever thought I could,
Not a choice I consciously made,
Its what I’ve done for love.
My child may be impulsive,
Loud and always on the go,
But there is so much more amazingness to him,
That I would love for you to know.
He doesn’t have a filter,
Or a mechanism to make him stop and think,
But It’s not his choice to behave that way,
His brains messages’ are on the blink.
He pretends to you he’s big and tough,
Causing him at times to be too rough,
To hide the hurt he keeps inside,
You don’t have to hear him cry or find he’s googled ways to die.
ADHD isn’t something made up,
To excuse behaviour or a parenting mess up,
It’s months of countless tests and appointments,
And lots of despair,
Meetings with professionals that can get to much to bare.
It breaks my heart when he cries, and asks “why me? Why can’t I be ‘normal’ and then I’ll be happy?”
He just wants to fit in,
And hates standing out,
But I tell him, “your special,
That’s what ADHD is all about,”
Don’t you think he’s aware of the things he does wrong?
And understand his class clown act, is him trying to belong?
There’s no one I know that punishes themselves more,
I don’t want him to feel that ADHD is a flaw.
You don’t see the struggles that he daily has to face,
The world to him is a heightened challenging place.
He is incredibly clever,
And so desperate for you to see,
But the sensory overload just won’t leave him be.
He has the biggest heart, and the fastest brain,
That just takes more time, nurture and understanding to train.
It’s a disability he lives with,
Just one you can’t see,
Making your lack of empathy so unjustified to me.

Tracey  Loxam

About this poem

This is just a poem that I wrote from the heart, based on my experiences. The poem was a message to those that judge, to educate them a little and hopefully make them think. I am not a poet. This is the first and last poem I’ve written, it was purely emotionally driven.

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Submitted by traceyloxam on March 27, 2023

2:16 min read
50

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCDCXCEFAFXCCXXGEGDHXHIICCJJXKKBXCXCLLXXMMDBBNNXBB E
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 2,137
Words 453
Stanzas 2
Stanza Lengths 51, 1

Discuss the poem Don’t Judge …… with the community...

2 Comments
  • MaximillianWiseman
    A strong, relatable poem that most readers can easily empathize with I think. You can see how painful it is for the mom who have to navigate such a tough situations like that both internally (to best managing her kid that's dealing with the ADHD issue with all its struggles) and externally (having to control her own emotions in response to all the noisy and careless judgments by other people who really don't know about the condition with all its challenges). 
    LikeReply11 months ago
  • crystald.84991
    I was married for 26 years and then it ended.
    I fell in love again with a man and in turn his 3 children. Two of the children and the father himself have ADHD. It is a different world for them, and also now for myself. I am not used to Outburst of Laughter or Tears, Quick Decision making Impulsiveness, High Energy mixed with a Non stop Mind, Having sleep be the only time for Quietness, Listening to the same Stories, Thoughts and Ideas repeatedly.
    But I was also not prepared for their Unconditional Love, Acceptance, and Understanding, for their beautiful personalities, the Ability to make others Laugh, the Attention to Detail, or the Bravery and Strength they still have Despite all they have Endured.
    I love them and all their ADHD questionable, loveable quirks!
     
    LikeReply11 months ago

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"Don’t Judge ……" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/158541/don’t-judge-……>.

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