Silence
by Antje Bothin

Talkative at home, happy and loud
But quiet and withdrawn in a crowd
Silent at school and in the shop
Does this selective mutism ever stop?

It is not a choice
This hiding of the voice
When people are around
There is no sound.

Like a sudden freeze
Being in a tight squeeze
Unable to talk
Nowhere to walk.

Observing and listening is easy to do
But asking and joining in is hard to pursue
Keep trying and trying again
Nothing is ever in vain.

If  people only knew
That kindness is the thing to do
Inclusion, no pressure and some fun in life
Is all that is needed to thrive!

And there is another one:

Incredibly Invisible
by Antje Bothin

Invisibility was her natural superpower
She could do it every minute and every hour

She could miraculously hide herself away
She had absolutely nothing to say

Her mind had the words ready in a crowd
But her voice could never be heard aloud
Nobody could see her stare
Because she wasn’t really there

She could dress in red or green
And she wouldn’t actually be seen
She could do whatever she pleased
Nobody would notice if she sneezed

She could even take things and leave
But people wouldn’t in the slightest perceive
The signs that she had been present at all
Even if she suffered a terrible fall

But she is free now, happy and strong
The things she does usually never go wrong

Because invisibility is her incredible superpower
And she is proud of it like a radiant sunflower!