By: Anna Grace Dulaney
I asked him what his favorite subject in school was. He told me he loved poetry. I marveled at the situation: an eight-year-old boy with a passion for poetry. I asked him whether he preferred to read or write it, to which he replied that he did both. He then looked up to me and recited one of his poems, his eyes bright with excitement. I have no idea if it was one he wrote previously or if he made it up on the spot, but either way, it was music to my ears. Another boy turned around as I was applauding his recitation and told the first boy that he was weird for liking poetry. This boy said poetry was for girls and nerds. I looked at the first boy, expecting to see pain in his eyes. Instead, I saw pride. He looked straight into the eyes of the second boy and said, “Poetry is cool. I don’t care what you say.” I admired the young boy for his dedication. He had just experienced stereotyping, and it did not seem to faze him in the slightest. I hoped that this resilience would last him throughout his life.
Edited by: RaeAnna G