A Wonderful Old, But New to Me, Poem

Sitting on the Board of the Directors of the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati is great. At our last meeting, we reminiscing about the history of DSAGC, and one of the founding members of DSAGC attended the meeting. She provided a good deal of history about the early days of the organization, and she also read this wonderful poem that appeared in the materials that they handed out back in the day (her daughter with Down syndrome, by the was is 30 years old, and it was so interesting to hear how full and rich her life is!)

See Me For Me

When you look at me -
What do you see?

When you look into my eyes
   Do you see beautiful blue,
   sparkling with joy, delight
   in my accomplishments
Or do you see that "almond shape"
   or "brushfield spots"?

When you look at my hands
   Do you see them reaching
   for toys, writing the alphabet,
   throwing a ball, doing a
   meaningful job
Or do you see a "simian crease"?

When you look at my face
   Do you see the resemblance
   to my parents, that I have just had
   my hair permed
Or do you see a "flat face" or
   "epicanthal folds"?

When you look at my behavior
   Do you see my feelings of
   pleasure and anger, my desire
   to achieve, my frustration in
   being treated like a baby
Or do you see the "stubbornness"?

When you look at my development
   Do you see me playing with peers,
   participating in sports, growing
   into a productive adult
Or do you see "low muscle tone" or
   "the eternal child"?


When you look at my family
   Do you see loving parents wanting
   to challenge me to my ultimate potential,
   sisters and brothers who have a better
   understanding of the differences in us all?
Or do you see a family torn apart by my
   difference, constantly in crisis, unable
   to accept, never to feel the joy of
   having a "normal child"?

What Do You See?
Look At Me.
Look Closer.
See Me For Me.

Written by :
Donna Roll
Dedicated to
Mary Ellen Graham
Founder of the DSAGC.