I am by Leia Campbell

This poem was written by my daughter, she was 15 years old and has Angelman Syndrome. She wrote this poem over four sessions of her literacy class. She mainly used her talker (Snap with PODD, 60 Expanded Keyword) and her core words. The core words are lists of commonly used words for writing that she can point to. She was given the first to words in each line and asked to repeat I am at the end of each stanza. I will share the breakdown of writing after the poem itself.

To me this poem is an amazing achievement, it is beautiful and deeply profound. It manages to invoke the feelings in me that she so eloquently describes and that is powerful writing.

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado

I wonder why are you happy?

I hear Cara sleeping gold

I see Grandpa waking helpless Gran angrily

I want to go swimming

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado

I pretend we go to the lovely caravan

I feel helpless, happy, innocent love

I touch Gabby’s eye, it is weerd like a jellyfish

I worry like a guilty duck

I cry when surprised

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado

I understand sorry

I say my greetings

I dream I am going to a caravan

I try Glee it may be heaven

I hope to get a puppy, gorilla and an alligator baby too

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado

I wonder why are you happy?

I hear Cara sleeping gold

I see Grandpa waking helpless Gran angrily

I want to go swimming

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado

I pretend we go the lovely caravan

I feel helpless, happy, innocent love

I touch Gabby’s eye, it is weerd like a jellyfish

I worry like a guilty duck

I cry when surprised

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado.

I understand sorry

I say my greetings

I dream I going to a caravan

I try Glee it may be heaven

I hope to get a puppy, gorilla and an alligator baby too

I am happy like a gnome and dizzy as a tornado.

Black words are the given poem structure

Blue words are from PODD talker

Red words are from core word list

And one word using spelling