A Dyslexic Gift

  •   Thu, Jul 11 2013
  •   By Anita Britto, Auckland

July 11, 2013

A Dyslexic Gift

Thinly veiled as fiction I’ll try my best to tell
About a little girl I knew – I must say very well
She’s grown up now and loves to read just any book she sees
Though years ago books frightened her- the sight would make her freeze

She loved the pictures in her books but struggled with each word
Her will to learn unstoppable – her spirit undeterred
If you’ve watched “Taare Zameen par” you must have guessed by now
That she couldn’t read the difference between crow or cat or cow


The thought of going to class each day would make her break in sweat
The alphabets in every book were such an awful threat
She watched the kids turn pages which made her do the same
But the letters floating on each page were one frustrating game


Her self-esteem at all-time low she felt quite traumatized
And the person in the mirror was the one whom she despised
But just when all seemed hopeless an angel in disguise
Appeared from out of nowhere and he heard her silent cries


A teacher who had specialised with phonic strategies
He taught her how to verbalise with skilful expertise
He used kinesthetic methods to help her win the race
An expert with dyslexic kids he knew she needed space


He went through all her notebooks which had words poorly spelt
And reassured her several times knowing how she felt
With reference charts and audio tapes and lots of words of praise
He helped her think in pictures using simple hands-on ways


With structured reading programs and multi-layered maps
He taught her how to break the codes and filled in all the gaps
This dedicated teacher worked on every stumbling block
With key words on a card index and different coloured chalk


He saw that she was gifted and he motivated her
Helping her make choices based on what she did prefer
With 3- D spatial reasoning her skills were simply swell
Like her passion for photography which helped her to excel


Swimming gave her confidence – success had finally come
Encouraged and supported by her ever patient Mum
They say a worried mother is much better at research
Than the FBI or Mossad and there’s nothing she won’t search


The tales her Daddy told her about the Argonauts
Were books that she could read at last – no longer Gordian Knots
She owed her Teacher everything – he taught her b from d
And told her she could make it – like Dyslexic Da Vinci


Blessed with this dyslexic gift are many folks you know
Successful people from all walks like Michael Angelo
Henry Ford and Einstein, Warhol and Picasso
Keanu Reeves and Tom Cruise – whom all the girls adore


John Lennon and Spielberg, Van Gogh and Hemmingway
Winston Churchill, George Clooney and even JFK
Jack Nicholson, Charles Darwin, Orville and Wilbur Wright
And Thomas Alva Edison who lit the world with Light


Quentin Tarantino and Orlando Bloom as well
Sly Stallone and Walt Disney apart from Graham Bell
Rodin, Robin Williams and Michael Faraday
Richard Branson, Mozart and – The greatest - Cassius Clay


While Steve Jobs launched his Apple and Newton saw one fall
Magic Johnson found his niche in playing Basket ball
Bill Gates opened Windows with a mouse for you to click
You too can win the game of Life if you are dyslexic.


 

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By Anita Britto, Auckland
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Comment on this article

  • Annie, Bangalore

    Tue, May 20 2014

    Super and straight from the heart to every parents/guardians heart.

    It may be any deterrent but there's always a solution and if there isn't at present, invent one for the future and astonish everybody.

  • Carmen Panikker, IEAS Kuwait

    Mon, Oct 21 2013

    Dear Anita,
    I work directly with children who are Dyslexic in IEAS school and this poem will be encouraging for their parents and teachers.
    God Bless
    Carmen

  • Peter & Edith Rego, Mangalore/New Zealand

    Sat, Oct 12 2013

    Another lovely poem.You have great talent.Well done. Keep it up

  • Angela Marquis, Bahrain

    Tue, Jul 16 2013

    Beautiful and well written Anita my son is dyslexic and your words are so powerful and true. I have taken a print and put it in his wall to inspire him God bless

  • Joe Britto, Nakre/Bangalore

    Fri, Jul 12 2013

    Yet another Amazing piece by our poetess which really gives a truly humane touch to the struggles of the unfortunate kids who convert this so called short coming into a gift and achieve amazing success. Thanks Anita

  • Tony Crasta, Mangalore/Sydney

    Fri, Jul 12 2013

    Beautiful poem indeed! Anita, you have been blessed with great talent! Keep going!

  • R.Bhandarkar, M'Lore

    Fri, Jul 12 2013

    Dear Anita
    I will not for a minute after reading this attribute 'dyslexic' to a learning disability especially in children.Though a bit perplexed by Mr Agnello's comment(his first line)I have reasons and strong ones at that to believe whatever he has written! If he has not known you, it's incredible whatever he has indeed written, by the 'keen' sense of his observation. Your prowess amazes me as usual and now I see you speaking virtually every line you write!..And also from experience the humility you possess is incredible! God bless you in everything you do!

  • Well wisher / Canada,

    Thu, Jul 11 2013

    Dear Anita
    You have a real talent with words. I love reading what you write. Keep up the good work and keep inspiring everyone around you. God bless and all the best.

  • Agnello, Mangalore/Muscat

    Thu, Jul 11 2013

    Dear Anita,
    I will not try to venture to guess that its you. But I will take a print out of this poem and put it up at home to inspire me, my wife and my son in a similar quest.Thank you.


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