I don't understand...

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Right now, I'm feeling pretty useless and stupid. In my English class, we're studying poems, and I don't understand many of the "deeper meanings" behind them. I only understand a few deeper meanings behind some lines, not nearly as many as everyone else seems to know.
Last week, I had a meltdown because there is one poem that I don't understand at all, I only understand the literal meaning and can visualise the "story", but no other meanings.
I felt so embarrassed having a meltdown in front of everyone I like English and I want to do well in it, but I was so frustrated that I couldn't cope, especially because some people kept talking about me and calling me names when I was building up to a meltdown and stimming.

Does anyone else have trouble with deeper meanings in poems?

The poem that I only understand the literal meaning of is called "Nettles" by Vernon Scannell.

I managed to get an English Degree from UCL despite having some issues with this too. I was spoon-fed to know the 'deeper meanings' at my school and now I understand phrases that would otherewise have really baffled me too.

SO what I'm saying is you can *learn* the meanings for the purpose of passing exams and there are lots of texts out there to help you - revision guides and critical essays. it just means a bit more reading than others but I'm sure you'll get there And the more you read the more you'll get. Now, if someone were to ask me what a specific metaphor might mean I can have a good go at it but I never spot them (unless I make a special effort - which study requires) because I take them literally too

Good luck!

The classes that I took in high school, college, university, and job training were not that different from each other in content/level of advancement.

But, I could not understand English class in high school or college (either reading deeper non-literal meanings or writing for different audiences), and then, I ended up getting better, with an English degree at university.

And, I excelled at Math and Physics in high school, but could not understand it at university (most content was exactly the same as what was covered in high school).

And, I was able to learn Computer Programming from my brother, but was unable to pass the class at university, and then, I ended up getting certified in job training.

I give up trying to figure out what classes that I might be good at.

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31st of July, 2013
Diagnosed: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Auditory-Verbal Processing Speed Disorder, and Visual-Motor Processing Speed Disorder.

Weak Emerging Social Communicator (The Social Thinking-­Social Communication Profile by Michelle Garcia Winner, Pamela Crooke and Stephanie Madrigal)

"I am silently correcting your grammar."