MUSINGS ON A THUNDERSTORM

a poem

by

Ishaan Holloway

July 7, 2021

Thunder travels at the speed of sound,
It makes a mighty roar,
It frightens the weak at heart,
As its friend the lightning makes images in the sky,
Me? I look and listen, trying to understand its language,
It lifts my heart,
For after every storm there is light!

MY DREAMS OF THE FUTURE

a poem

by

Ishaan Holloway

June 26, 2021

My future is blissful,
My mind is lost in dreams,
Possibilities are infinite,
Opportunities are optimum,
“Never give up” is the message,
For hard-earned happiness is eternal,
Let effort be your pride and your personal treasure.

Ishaan is a sixteen year old, non-speaking, teen on the autism spectrum. He communicates (and composes) by spelling things out on a letter board or keyboard.

“As a medical professional, I believe it is essential to provide treatments and interventions supported by scientific theory and evidence. And where that evidence does not yet exist, we must seek it out. From finding research laboratories to sequence and study novel mutations to using communication assistance such as letter boards, Ishaan’s family has worked tirelessly to improve Ishaan’s life and our understanding of his autism…Ishaan uses his letter board independently, without any physical assistance, painstakingly spelling every word and punctuating every sentence. Although there is still much to learn about Ishaan’s use of the letterboard, Ishaan’s essay represents a significant step forward in his ability to communicate with others and an important step towards unlocking the mysteries of the autistic mind.” Dr. Kimberly Ann Smyth, M.D., MMEd, FRCPC, Ishaan’s neurologist