Unmasked at Last: poetry of a midlife journey to identity and autism acceptance

This book contains poems, written as necessary therapy, when an undiagnosed woman on the autism spectrum suffered from autistic burnout, going from just functional to not functional. Grief, loss, burnout, and diagnosis led to a stream of identity crises and lifestyle adjustments. Quality of life and acceptance of self (without denial about her autism) became the focus of her redesigned life.

The author documents her painful journey through the darkness and out the other side to a hopeful, authentic life through these free verse poems. The often dark verses capture the emotional upheaval of this time in the author's life, ultimately leading to healing and acceptance after a raw period of grief. As an autistic, the author confesses she does not feel as aware of her emotions as a non-spectrum individual. Yet, these poems clearly reveal a rich and intense emotional life--despite differently-abled neurological processing. Content ranges from romantic, mildly erotic love poems, to vengeance and anger pieces, expressions of grief, snapshots of what it is like to experience autistic meltdown or selective mutism, then ultimately turn to hopeful works on acceptance and self-love. Adult topics are covered and some language may not be suitable for children.

Tips about understanding Autistic neurology, resources, references and where to find similar voices among the autism self-advocacy community are included.