This 10-Year-Old’s Clever Poem about Dyslexia Is Eye-Opening

These powerful words are a must-read.

By Shahrzad Warkentin March 8, 2019

Growing up with a learning disability—or parenting a child with one—can be very challenging. One young girl’s clever poem about dyslexia perfectly captures what it’s like.

Teacher Jane Broadis took to Twitter to share a poem written by her 10-year-old student diagnosed with dyslexia. The poem instantly gained praise for its powerful message and for the clever way it was written as a reverse poem meant to be read forwards and then backwards again, giving it new meaning.

Today in Y6 we looked at poems that could be read forwards & backwards. I was stunned by this one written by one of my 10 year olds. Please share – I would love her work to be appreciated further afield. I wonder if it could even find a publisher? pic.twitter.com/tmEQpiRrhq
— Jb5Jane (@Jb5Jane) February 27, 2019

The poem reads:

DYSLEXIA

I am stupid.

Nobody would ever say

I have a talent for words

I was meant to be great.

That is wrong.

I am a failure.

Nobody could ever convince me to think that

I can make it in life.

NOW READ UP ↑↑ 😁

Yeah, we need to go grab a tissue, too!

Many Twitter users also commended Broadis on being an excellent teacher and her humbling reply: “It is a privilege to help find, nurture and celebrate the talents of children” as proof the world needs more teachers—and kids—like these two.

—Shahrzad Warkentin

Featured photo: ND Strupler via flickr

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