Boy With Autism Gets Homework Assignment To Compose Poem — His Teacher Is At Loss For Words

Feb 25, 2021

Sometimes, students can surprise their teachers. Occasionally, an instructor will give a simple assignment, and the student's work will absolutely blow them away. That was the case for Benjamin Giroux's teacher when she gave her students the assignment to write a poem using the words "I am" at the beginning of each stanza.

Benjamin is a teenage boy with autism from Plattsburg, New York, who went above and beyond in his assignment by writing a beautiful poem about his experience with Asperger's syndrome in 2016 when he was just 10 years old.

The poem repeats the phrase "I am odd, I am new" throughout and details his struggles fitting in with others as a child with autism. It is clear from the beginning that Benjamin understands that he's not like other kids his age.

He acknowledges that this is a struggle for him. His words capture the sadness and isolation one experiences from being different from others, which is very relatable. It's pretty safe to say that every person will feel these emotions at some point in their life.

Benjamin's poem captures this emotion perfectly and with a mental acuity that is well beyond his years. The poem's final stanza is more hopeful, letting the reader know that he realizes that others feel the same way and that everyone is a little odd in their own way. It is a unique observation that not many children his age are able to make, giving us a unique glimpse of what is going on in his head.

"I am odd, I am new," Benjamin wrote in the poem. "I wonder if you are too. I hear voices in the air, I see you don't and that's not fair."

"I feel like a boy in outer space, I touch the stars and feel out of place," he continued.

Beyond the impressive artistry that went into Benjamin’s piece, the poem was also surprising given the boy’s normally reserved demeanor.

"When we ask him how his day went when he gets home from school, we don't get much more than a one-word answer," Sonny Giroux, Benjamin's father, told Today back in April 2016.

But the response to Benjamin’s poem has shown that no matter how reserved this young poet might appear on the outside, his inner world is full of insightful, profound, and emotional observations that have the ability to touch readers.

Benjamin's poem was so moving that it caught the eye of the National Autism Association. The organization posted it on their Facebook page, where it has been shared nearly 40,000 times and received more than 5,000 comments. Importantly, it has raised awareness about autism and the unique challenges those living with autism face.

“This just came at the right time for me and my 8 year son who is also autistic,” Iklima Jafaru wrote in a comment on the National Autism Association’s April 2016 post. “He told me tonight that some kids in his class said he is the most annoying boy in the whole school. I know my son struggles to fit in or kind of get accepted. This poem will inspire him to accept and know who he is.”

Other commenters shared similar sentiments and experiences. Judy Mirabella, who has a granddaughter with Aspberger’s syndrome, explained that her granddaughter also expresses herself through poetry. “She is 19 now and has her own notebook filled with wonderful and sometimes profound woes and stories,” Mirabella wrote. “We should all encourage our children to put in words all that they imagine.”

However, if it weren’t for Benjamin’s supportive parents, it’s possible that “I am odd, I am new” might have never seen the light of day. Initially, Benjamin didn’t think the poem was good enough, as Sonny explained to the local news outlet MyChamplainValley.

“He felt that it wasn’t good enough to read and that kids would laugh at him for sharing, ya know, his most personal feelings,” Sonny told the outlet in April 2020. But the poem brought Sonny to tears, and so Benjamin’s father shared it on his Facebook where it eventually went viral.

“I didn’t even think it was going to be noticed because when my dad posted it online I didn’t even know. I was shocked really. I really didn’t think it would get this far,” Benjamin told MyChamplainValley.

The poem has been translated into 20 different languages and has since been turned into a book called "I am Odd, I am New" published by Schiffer Publishing earlier this year, according to a recent Facebook post by Giroux. Although the poem clearly resonated with people around the world, Benjamin’s father admitted that his feelings about the piece were bittersweet when he first read it.

"At first, we felt sad and hurt that he feels isolated, alone, misunderstood, and odd at school," Sonny told Today. "As the poem went on, we realized that he understands that he's odd and that so is everyone else in their own way, which is what Ben wants everyone to embrace."

Sonny has made it a point to read his son all of the positive comments the poem has received on the internet, many of which are from other young adults with autism. Hundreds of parents have also reached out to the young writer to thank him for shedding light on what it’s like to live with autism. Thanks to Benjamin’s viral poem, the hashtag #oddtoo spread across social media, too.

"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," Sonny told Today. "And that makes me one proud father!"

Fans of Benjamin’s poetry can keep up with the up-and-coming writer on his Facebook page where he posts new poems and updates regarding his book, which comes out in the fall of 2021. The picture book, which is illustrated by Roz MacLean and based on Benjamin’s viral poem, is certain to resonate with other young adults navigating the world with autism. And for that reason, Sonny is particularly proud of his son.

“Now to have a child who is autistic, who was able to put his own words on paper and to be able to share that with the world — now kids will be able to read words from another child and see that they are not alone,” Sonny said.

What do you think of Benjamin’s poem? Can you relate to his words? Let us know, and make sure to pass this poem on to your friends, family members, and anyone who might need a reminder that it’s OK to be #oddtoo.