‘I Am Odd, I Am New’: Boy, 10, With Autism Touches The Hearts Of Thousands With His Moving Poem About His Condition

A 10-year-old New York boy who was given a school assignment ended up touching the hearts of thousands after writing a moving poem that gives an inside look into his life with autism.

Benjamin Giroux and his fellow classmates at Cumberland Head Elementary were asked to write a poem about themselves to celebrate National Poetry Month.

Benjamin, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, was given the first two words of each sentence for his poem titled ‘I am’ – and his finished product left his parents choked up.

His father, Sonny Giroux, told Daily Mail Online in an email that Benjamin is ‘deeply touched by all the outpouring support.’ ‘We are trying to give him news of his poem in small amounts, as this entire thing can be very overwhelming for him.’ Benjamin’s poem begins: ‘I am odd, I am new.
‘I wonder if you are too. I hear voices in the air. I see you don’t, and that’s not fair.’ He continues, writing about feeling ‘out of place’ and ‘like a castaway.’ ‘I dream of day that that’s okay,’ Benjamin writes. ‘I try to fit in. I hope that some day I do. I am odd, I am new.’ ‘I’m am so proud of Benjamin for the effort he put into this poem,’ Mr Giroux told Daily Mail Online of his son’s poem, noting when it comes to homework he is not exactly thrilled about doing it. ‘But when he wrote down the first four lines, and had me read them, I told him that it was great and that he could really make something special if he continued to focus.’

Benjamin pictured age eight with his great-grandfather and WWII Veteran Officer Francis Turner 2nd Armoured Division

H/T : DailyMail