PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

Following my car accident, whilst I was still in the process of my eight-year rehabilitation, I decided it was best for me to return to school, which I did via adult education. I told myself and others at the time that the reason for this was that I knew my old career was over, and I had no interest in becoming a cabinetmaker. According to my occupational therapist, a cabinet maker was the only job option for people in a wheelchair. One of my teachers and mentors later revealed to me that “I was always going to return to study and go to university”.

For most of my life until then, I had been told I was stupid and would never achieve anything. If there were moments of encouragement, they were drowned out by all the negative comments. This is yet another major factor behind my decision to leave academia and start my tutoring company. I did not want to see another child battling that sort of negativity. I wanted to be the person that, had I known they existed when I was young, I’d have wanted by my side. For them to have the patience, empathy and insight to help me on my way.

A Fork in the Road: Literature and Science

So, back to adult education and studying literature. English literature always came quickly to me. It mattered not if it was poetry, a novel or a film. Whilst I chose it as a subject to increase my ATAR (alternatively insert relevant score here), it was also to help ease myself back into study and have some fun. This subject, in particular, laid the foundation of my newfound confidence in knowing I wasn’t the idiot I’d been accused of my whole life (despite autism being relatively well documented even back then), that I was actually capable of studying and, perhaps, even going on to university. I consistently received A+'s for all my assignments and assessments. This helped counter the lower grades I received in other STEM subjects I had not previously taken. When I finally applied for university degrees and scholarships, my teacher and mentor implored me to “Go to university and study Literature and be BRILLIANT!” As you may have already guessed, I trepidaciously dismissed her advice and followed my heart by applying primarily for degrees in animal and veterinary science. There was a double Arts/Science application, but it was around pick five.

Navigating Academia as a Disabled, Neurodivergent Student

I received a first-round pick for my second choice (BSc. Animal Science), followed by a scholarship. On the day I visited the Open Day, I was offered discounted private student accommodation. It was a straightforward decision. My first year of university was quite challenging. I had moved state, I knew no one there, and I felt isolated and exposed as a mature-aged disabled student. However, as I progressed, I quickly realised that those subjects I had thought so complex and unfamiliar were not so scary. I received first-class honours, which opened the entire academic world to me!

Reclaiming My Work, Finding My Purpose

That was then, this is now.

Recently, it has come to my attention that much of my intellectual property, including poetry from the 1980s and my school work from my Year 11 English literature class, has been stolen and plagiarised completely, unadulterated, in other people’s undergraduate and master's theses. Many of these theses were published recently, which begs the question of why the university wasn’t using plagiarism detection to check them.

Furthermore, I have found some to be profiting from my work by selling it to companies like Barnes & Noble (Bartleby) and others.

Conclusion

Admittedly, I am partially to blame. I uploaded my work (with references removed to try to deter potential theft) to a public poetry website. My reasons for this were to spread my love of English literature and, perchance, inspire young minds to appreciate it as much as I do.

As that is still my goal, I will now post a series of analyses and critiques of some of my favourite poems. Including one I hate to love, but I can’t help myself despite its refreshing honesty. I truly hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Hopefully, though, you may wish to join me on this exploration and discussion on this beautiful art form.