Coffee Cup Stains

<p>Life is complicated plain and simple.</p> <p>What we see is not what anyone else sees. We see a red rose but no one else sees that same red for no one else has our eyes. And that's life. We rely heavily on our five senses-taste smell touch sight and hearing-but only we can taste smell feel see or hear how we do.</p> <p>The poetry included in <i>Coffee Cup Stains: Thoughts from an Autistic Poet</i> is based on Joy Olree's own five senses. She was as Lady Gaga says born this way-with autism in a world that cannot fully grasp the meaning. In this new poetry collection Olree attempts to enlighten that non-autistic world to make its inhabitants see what she sees.</p> <p><i><b>Did You Ever Love Me?</b></p> <p>Was fifteen minutes of fun all it was?<br /> Did you even tell her you loved her?<br /> I sit here in the dark listening for the<br /> creak of the bedroom door. Maybe<br /> you'll find another source for the anger.<br /> Maybe you'll be too drunk to notice I'm<br /> not asleep. Maybe tomorrow I won't<br /> have to lie to everyone. Maybe I won't<br /> enjoy what I never should have known.</p> <p>If you ever loved me please let me go for<br /> I fear my soul is tarnished beyond repair.</p> <p>I am a stone angel cracked and crumbling.<br /> Please God hear my prayer for I don't want<br /> to go to Hell.</i></p>