A 10-year-old boy has used a class exercise to write a touching poem about his life with autism.
Benjamin Giroux, who is on the autism spectrum, was asked to write a poem for school entitled “I Am”, in which he was given the first two words in every sentence, and what resulted was a moving insight to lives of children who feel different to their peers.
In the piece the youngster began by penning “I am odd, I am new’ before writing of feeling “out of place” and “like a castaway”.
The poem was posted on Facebook by the National Autism Association (NAA), where it has been liked over 17,000 times in less than a week.
To caption his poem the NAA wrote: “You did an excellent job, Benjamin! You fit right in with us because we’re #oddtoo.”
Benjamin’s father, Sonny Giroux, told the Huffington Post he and his wife were moved to tears when they read the poem.
“We were both so proud, and yet so heartbroken, that this was how he felt,” he said.
Adding: “Each like, share and comment he’s received since has made him feel like not only he does fit in and belong in this world, but has also moved him beyond words that he’s touched so many.”
