(not a) disclaimer

(not a) disclaimer

I used to put disclaimers 
in all my books

as a way to
cover my ass 

in case people 
read me the wrong way

now I just write about how 
I used to write disclaimers 

so everybody can see how 
much I’ve grown (wink)

these days I try not to 
over-explain myself 

and just be my 
weird, quirky self 

without (much) worry
or apology 

*

I read somewhere that neurodivergent writers are forever using parentheses and ellipses and disclaimers and all sorts of other modes and methods of over-explanation in hopes of avoiding being misunderstood AND IT IS THE TRUTH.

I love this about us. AND I’ve also tried to balance it out a bit lately by writing poems that, if anything, under-explain.

But I’m hard at work on Book 3 of my poetry trilogy, and my explanatory urges are bursting at the seams.

We’ll see what happens.

Anyone else a prolific (over) user of parentheses (etc)?