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  1. Wooden Boy

From the recording Wooden Boy

Wooden Boy is based on an article "On Almost Becoming a Person" written by a friend, Gene Marcus, who has autism. In school he was classified as 'retarded' and was often ignored. In his 20's Gene was introduced to an experimental program called Facilitated Communication (FC), in which challenged individuals are taught ways of communicating by interfacing computers with the help of a human facilitator. Gene was a successful FC student and had a LOT to say. He has become a prolific and profound writer. Through FC he has written many astounding and brilliant articles about his life with autism, about how he learns by observing and he now leads workshops at national conventions and teaches students about FC at Syracuse University and on line. He's quite an amazing young man (28 years old) and interesting company with or without a facilitator. Read about Gene and his helper, Mayer Shevin here: http://www.ccids.umaine.edu/resources/fcmaine/fcf95c.html

Lyrics

I am a wooden boy, it's all I'll ever be. At school and on the playground it's all they ever see. I cannot join the fun, they push me from the games, I see their mocking faces, I hear them call me names. Mother says my real name and turns down the light. "We have to say our prayers before we sleep tonight." She folds my hands together like I was a toy, I pray that when I wake I'll be a re-al boy. With my hanging head and these ink-spot eyes, No one comes near. With an eager mind And a longing heart - I’m in here. I’m In Here. Father doesn't listen when people say "He's just an old fool." who should throw me away. They say I'm broken, can't come to any good. "What is a father's love to a boy of wood? " Mother lifts me up to lay me on my bed Tucks in the checkered blanket Kisses me on the head Father reads a fairy tale, a wooden boy like me Who’s swallowed by a whale - but rises from the sea. I am a wooden boy, may be all you see puppet on a string, but there is more to me And all I ask of you Is to be understood To see the boy beneath The boy who's made of wood