To add your island to our archipelago, email hello@autisticyouthhub.org.uk – you can send us many formats: a photograph, digital image, document, PDF, a link to something online or just words in an email!

Untitled, island poem

One day we decided to run far away
And set up an island for us both to stay

We camped on the shore as we started to plan
With your boat and my oars, we quickly began.

At first it went well, we made a good team
Each taking an oar, we worked on our dream

A place to be safe, and authentic, and loved,
With not too much noise and no one to judge

Built on shared values, our hearts poured into creation
We rowed each stone over and made our foundation

But that’s when we found we weren’t on the same page,
And our differences began to take center stage

You wanted it high, and I wanted it low-
I liked it messy and you liked it ‘just so’

I thought we should have glitter, you thought that was too much
I wanted soft fabrics and you preferred rough

As we fought over ideas, our island naught but a heap,
A stone tumbled down and our boat sprung a leak

Now look what you did! We both cried as one.
Me? It was you! Forget this, I’m done.

We split the land down the middle flinging stones side to side,
And were left with two islands and a gap very wide

And suddenly it felt like we were back where we started,
Surrounded by people and yet still all parted

We looked at each other from opposite sides
Both at once said ‘I’m sorry’ and laughed in surprise

But the boat was still leaking, and starting to sink
On two separate islands we both sat to think

If I like it high, and you like it low
Maybe we both need our own places to go

So let’s build a bridge and connect our two homes
With time spent together and time spent alone.

by Robin