Unmasking Myself: A Poem About Late Autism and ADHD Diagnosis in Women

The way my mind swerves and spins, 
Is simply how my world begins. 
Utterly clueless about the secret truth inside,
Spending my whole life trying to blend, yet hide. 

Through It all it was never me,
It was a persona that I created to be.
I mimicked others, the only way I knew how,
To exist in society, from then until now.

Stimming gets me to soothe the ache,
That itch, that nerve, that makes me break.
No good outlet to find release, 
The only thing I want is comfort and peace.

They call me too quiet, too sensitive, too much, 
Making me burrow in the shadows, and clutch. 
To anything that will hold me upright. 
To come out of hiding and stand in the light.

But there it was, late as it came,
A flicker, a shift, a different name.
Unveiled in pieces, from the past, 
Autism, ADHD, my truths at last. 

Even though I don't fit the mold they made
It is my vision, my choice, my path to pave.
Enlightenment has fueled my fire, 
To reach new dreams and fulfill my desire. 

All this time I danced alone,
Not realizing or understanding, I was unknown.
To me, to others, but now I see, 
What it is like to be the real me.

So here I stand, a woman diagnosed late,
Unraveling truths within my fate.
Each step I take, each thought I chase,
Unfolds the rhythm I now embrace.
A late bloom, but a bloom, indeed,
Perfectly stitched from thought and need.