Rob Curran

staring an awkward glance    

the cruel way they speak

“a helpless cripple” if not worse

something to amuse

[a misfortune in the spine—something inherited]

but what they did not see

would surprise them—

strong and not unhappy,

she shook it off.

Source: Remixed poem from Chapter II of The Little Lame Prince, by Dinah Maria Mulock, rewritten for Young Readers by Margaret Waters. (Project Gutenberg E-book Version.)

Grix (they/them) is a chronically ill and disabled nonbinary trans femme who writes and creates visual art. Their work focuses on disability, gender, trauma, and systems from a neurodiverse perspective. They are the managing editor of Human/Kind Journal and associate editor at both Sonic Boom and Yavanika Press. Twitter @metagrix metagrix.com