Juggling

At this time I was still working full time at the library and juggling with two daughters that needed a lot of their moms attention and help. Shannon needed a confidence boost, and Caragh needed help fitting in at senior school.

I heard at work that Birmingham city council was staging children's poetry competition, perfect for Shannon I thought. We had a few brain storming evenings, before Shannon came up with her poem:

Dyslexia dearest

When I am at school I hate you

You make me feel so frustrated

Why did you pick on me?

Why couldn’t you pick on my other friends?

But when I’m doing music or art

You’re my hero

You have compensated me well.

Why couldn’t you pick on my other friends?

I wonder what it would be like free of you?

So I could spell and write perfectly

That would be a dream come true for me

Why couldn’t you pick on my other friends?

But if I had not been born dyslexic I would never have known how it felt, don’t think I like you any better but at least I understand

Shannon won the competition, which meant we all went for a slap up lunch. Shannon had her photo taken with the poet laureate and Benjamin Zephaniah her little cheeks went bright red she was so happy. Caragh got her own goody bag and looked like a proud big sister, after the grand affair of the lunch we were invited as part of Shannon’s prize to go watch Benjamin perform over at the library theatre. It was a day to remember, for the three of us.