Exceptions

We only
Hear about
The exceptions

Disabled people

Who are
Exceptional

The Jonis

The Bocellis
The blind mountain climbers
The limbless Olympians

I realize now

I only ever heard
About the exceptions
The admirably disabled

I never thought to wonder

Where were the others
Where were the unexceptional

The angry ones

The ones

Who can’t
Make peace
With their loss

The ones

Who would rather die
Than live
A limited life

The ones
Too sad
To try

I know now

That the exceptional
Are few

And I know now where

The unexceptional are

I know

Where one is
Anyway

I know now

That the disabled
Who suffer
Are hidden away

Struggling through life

Battling through loss

The majority

But out of view

And in many ways
Alone