On the Spectrum- poem by Emily Holyoak

The Devil’s noise knocks on my head

Thundering my pores, shattering my skull

The noise frolics through my fields of nerves,

A chemical reaction of catastrophic chaos ensues.

I cover my ears. It’s far too late, though time has ceased.

The echoes of the Devil’s noise vibrate like piano strings

The bones in my head melt away as too-tired wax

Sliding down a cheaply made candle.

He laughs, my eardrums perforate.

My soul crumbles upon impact

The fetal position has no power here.

I forget how to breathe, but I remember how to scream.

How can I survive through all the laugher

The thundering applause cracks my tooth.

Bells, whistles, sirens, and wind

My greatest enemies work for the Devil.

Understand me. Hear me. Interpret my screams.

I’m trapped inside a fragile membrane

Those with patience lead me through

The forests of hell and noise.