During Warrah School‘s end of school year Presentation Day, Migo astounded me and Grandma.
There I was, half an hour late because I had to attend a dental appointment. I joined the other parents/carers, expecting the usual performances. Make no mistake, I love every single event at Warrah. This Rudolph Steiner special needs school is big in performing arts. Being a small school of approximately 20 kids (I did not count), virtually each kid gets to perform on stage, either as part of a group or solo.
When Migo took to the stage, my hand, which was holding my iPhone camera was shaking so bad, it’s a wonder I managed to take a decent video. Miguel’s performance was passionate and confident. He was probably the only kid who did not require prompting from his teacher. Without much ado, here is Migo reciting Langston Hughes’ “As I Grew Older“. Do note the soft start to the poem. Migo has difficulty speaking in a small voice, you see. So the fact that he remembered which lines to speak softly in, is testament to the teaching abilities of Ludwig, his classroom teacher.
As I Grew Older
It was a long time ago.
I have almost forgotten my dream.
But it was there then,
In front of me,
Bright like a sun—
My dream.
And then the wall rose,
Rose slowly,
Slowly,
Between me and my dream.
Rose until it touched the sky—
The wall.
Shadow.
I am black.
I lie down in the shadow.
No longer the light of my dream before me,
Above me.
Only the thick wall.
Only the shadow.
My hands!
My dark hands!
Break through the wall!
Find my dream!
Help me to shatter this darkness,
To smash this night,
To break this shadow
Into a thousand lights of sun,
Into a thousand whirling dreams
Of sun!
– Langston Hughes
We requested Migo to give an encore performance at a Christmas Party. Do ENJOY this clearer version as much as we all did!
Note to new readers: Migo is a 15 year old diagnosed with autism. Follow his adventures at Thinking in Pictures.
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