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Wearing the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower discreetly indicates to people around the wearer that they need additional support, help or a little more time. Since its launch in 2016, it has now been adopted globally by organisations ranging from airports and railway stations to supermarkets and the NHS, as well as an increasing number of small and large businesses and organisations. Last year the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower charity ran a competition encouraging people to write about their experiences. The poems have been collected in a new book, Hidden Disabilities and Me (Hidden Disabilities, £5), which is available from their website. The poem below features in the book.

Mind has its winter. After the slow release – the erosion of wind through the yellow-leaf – a twilight time. Dante missed these shades whom Charon left, these souls of sand, blown grain by grain across the Styx. Down the long labyrinth of yesteryears a dim realm is ruled by forgetfulness the senescent fluorescence cannot lift.

Yet there is winter sun here. Watch the haloed dome of that old woman’s hair thin as a dandelion-clock when a child’s puff puts its question. Were it put now, that puff would set her thoughts like thistledown adrift on the still and nebulous afternoon.

You can reserve a copy of Hidden Disabilities and Me at the Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Edinburgh EH8 8DT, which is operating a click and collect service, www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk