Autistic boy pens heartbreaking poem about being different and it's a beautiful lesson in acceptance

Eight years ago, a 10-year-old boy with autism, Benjamin Giroux, was asked to write a poem in his school classroom. He penned down a poem called "I Am." When his parents read the poem, they were so touched by it that they shared the poetry on social media. The poem was reposted by the National Autism Association, a charity organization in Barrington, on its Facebook page (@nationalautism). The poem and the awareness hashtag #oddtoo instantly became viral and widespread all over the internet.

"My 10-year-old son with Aspergers was asked to write a poem for school titled 'I Am.' He was given the first 2 words in every sentence. This is what he wrote..." Ben’s mother wrote, as per the post caption. The post, which has garnered over 48,000 likes and nearly 6000 comments, depicts the screenshot of a piece of paper with this heartwarming poem scrawled in Ben’s cursive handwriting.

Ben, a student from a school in Plattsburgh, New York, began the poem, by expressing what it feels like to live with autism, “I am odd, I am new, I wonder if you are too.” As the poem continues, he pours out the emotions and feelings of unfairness he felt, that restricted him from living life as most people do.

“I hear voices in the air

I see you don’t, and that’s not fair

I want to not feel blue

I am odd, I am new

I pretend that you are too

I feel like a boy in outer space

I touch the stars and feel out of place

I worry what others might think

I cry when people laugh, it makes me shrink

I am odd, I am new

I understand now that so are you

I say I, 'feel like a castaway'

I dream of a day that that’s okay

I try to fit in

I hope that someday I do

I am odd, I am new,” continues the poem.

People were stirred by the poem and jumped into the comment section to share their praises for the boy. @christina.k.centeno commended, “Truly awesome! This is a perfect poem; a beautiful poem written straight from the heart of a talented, amazing little boy.”

@joanrifkin1 added, “What a wonderful way for this boy to share with the world what it feels like to be autistic, you are not odd, though you are a person with a unique situation and you are the best you can be. It's everyone else that is odd, they stare and poke fun at a person who is so-called the norm.” @susan.doughtery.7 spoke to Benjamin writing, “Benjamin, you are very wise to be only 10 years old. Your poem reads true to each of us. Your autism does not identify you, rather it is a part of you.”

Like Benjamin, most people with autism usually find it hard to communicate. Herein, art can open doors for creative expression by enabling a person to communicate their emotions freely and heartily. "Ben's goal was to have people understand that being odd is different, and different is amazing, and people shouldn't be afraid of who they are," the boy’s father Sonny told TODAY. "And that makes me one proud father!"

He also said that, initially, Benjamin was anxious and nervous to read out the poem in his classroom, however nowadays, seeing that millions of people are reading his poem, he feels excited and happy, even more so after his poem led him to sign a book deal with Barnes & Nobles.

Today, Benjamin is the author of a popular book, “I am Odd, I am New.” Mike Connaris, CEO at Mcasso Music & Carnaby Blue Records, converted Ben’s poem into a song, featuring doodle animation by a student animator Rory Russell, per LBB Online.

The music video and song have won awards for Los Angeles Film Awards for “Best Student Film” and “Best Inspirational Film”, and the Hong Kong World Film Festival Award for “Best Music”, and several other accreditations, including a nomination at the British Animation Awards.