10 year olds poem about his autism goes viral

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10-year-old Benjamin Giroux recently sat down at his family’s kitchen table to write a poem. Giroux didn’t realize his assignment, written for National Poetry Month, would earn him acclaim across social media.

Benjamin has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism, and his poem, which features 18 lines, directly addressed what it’s like to live in that part of the spectrum.

Giroux lives a life that is filled with a strict routine and a focus on a few very specific interests. In his poem, he also talks about his problems associated with human interactions.

The 5th grader at Cumberland Head Elementary School in Plattsburgh, N.Y., was supposed to read his poem in front of his entire class but was so convinced it would be a huge flop that he refused to attend class that day.

His dad was convinced his son wrote a masterpiece and he posted the piece on Facebook.

Almost immediately, the poem grabbed 38,000 shares and 5,000 comments.

His poem immediately received critical acclaim with commenters offering their “thank yous” and “congratulations” to the young poet.

The National Autism Association ended up re-posting Benjamin’s poem which only helped it reach a bigger audience and more critical acclaim.

“At first, we felt sad and hurt that he feels isolated, alone, misunderstood and odd at school,” his father, Sonny, told The Today Show.

“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.”