By: Shannon Boatwright

I’m only going to write a short note here and let the poem and performance do the speaking and inspiring. As a middle school Drama teacher, I quite often am impressed with the talents of the young, brilliant minds that I have the honor of teaching.

This past year I taught a lesson on soapbox rants that produced many astounding written works and performances. The one I’m sharing here is by one of my 8^th grade honors drama students that I’ve taught since she was in the 6^th grade. Graycen Bozard has proven to be not only a talented actress, but also a very talented writer. Upon reading her first soapbox submission, it touched and impressed me so much that her words inspired an entire piece for our big end of the year show. She, being her toughest critic, didn’t think it was that great and proceeded to write a different soapbox – which also was so good that I was able to convince her to perform it in our show. She also wrote some of the scenes in our show, adding a genuine feel to the teenage representation that was a theme in our production. But the piece I’m sharing here is quite touching and profound, considering it’s written by a 13-year-old.

I’m very proud of her work and feel very honored to share it.  – Shannon

Written by 8^th Grade Honors Drama Student, Graycen Bozard

I see humans but no humanity

The things we do are nothing short of insanity

we kill, we rob and we take

the things we do should make your heart break

but it doesn’t explain the things I am saying

They are just like a record playing

you’ve heard them before

why should they mean more?

how about because what I’m saying is real

what can I do to make you feel

I could say something cheesy

like changing the world is easy

or that it’s something anyone can do

but that simply isn’t true

I hope you don’t ever feel the core of the emotion

or that the pain is deeper than an ocean

bad things happen I know it won’t stop

but we may be able to get its numbers to drop

I may be a bit of a dreamer

some might even say schemer

but I know the difference between right and wrong

I know what it feels like to have to stay strong

there are do’s and dont’s

can’ts and won’ts

I know there are rules that we live by

but does that mean that we can’t try

I am just one person I can’t do much

this is a dream I’ve only begun to touch

this planet holds dangers

so we need world changers

but you can’t judge the ocean by the parts that reach the sand

maybe this is just too hard for kids to understand

now that I’ve said all these beautiful words

about how nothing’s impossible we can fly with the birds

we need a way

not just a say

how about we start with a smile

It might take awhile

but why not?

if it was happiness we sought

then maybe the world would change

on a much wider range