“Beautiful” (by Vala, age 9)
(listen to the poem, read by the author)
Most people see her in an unusual way.
They see her small hands,
her crossed eyes,
even her bumpy nails.
They notice how she speaks quietly
and infrequently.
I notice her kind smile, her big heart, her gentle attitude.
Her eyes are hazel-brown.
Her hair is smooth and silky.
Her voice like fairy bells ringing in the wind.
She is beautiful, not unearthly or unusual.
Another word for different is special.
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About the Author
Vala is a 10 year old who lives in Ithaca, NY. She loves her older sister Aelwen who has diabetes and Down syndrome. This poem represents how she sees her sister differently from others. Her sister spends most of the time doing work, and is in the 5th grade at age 12. Vala knows how wonderful and amazing Aelwen is and her greatest wish is that others would see her the way Vala does.