trigger warning regarding rape.
this is a video of laurie halse anderson, author of speak (a really beautiful YA novel about a girl who was raped), reading a poem she wrote on the tenth anniversary of the publication of the book. with the exception of the first and last stanzas, every word of the poem comes from emails and letters she has come from teenagers who wrote to her after reading the book. i’ve watched/read it before, but every single time, i cry SO HARD. i look it up every time i find myself doubting the power & importance of art, and think about it every time someone tries to pretend “literary merit” is the only kind of importance out there. because i can’t imagine anything, anything, anything more important and powerful than doing something to hit teenagers so hard that they’re inspired to share these things.
You write to us
from Houston, Brooklyn, Peoria, Rye, NY,
LA, DC, Everyanywhere USA to my mailbox, My
Space Face Book A
livejournal of bffs whispering
Onehundredthousand whispers to Melinda and
Me.
You:
I was raped, too
sexually assaulted in seventh grade,
tenth grade, the summer after graduation,
at a party i was 16
i was 14
i was 5 and he did it for three years
i loved him
i didn’t even know him.
He was my best friend’s brother,
my grandfather, father, mommy’s boyfriend,
my date
my cousin
my coach
i met him for the first time that night and—
four guys took turns, and—
i’m a boy and this happened to me, and—
… I got pregnant I gave up my daughter for adoption …
did it happen to you, too?
U 2?
You:
i wasn’t raped, but
my dad drinks, but
i hate talking, but
my brother was shot, but
i am outcast, but
my parents split up, but
i am clanless, but
we lost our house, but
i have secrets - seven years of secrets and i cut
myself my friends cut
we all cut cut cut
to let out the pain
… my 5-year-old cousin was raped –
he’s beginning to act out now
… do you have suicidal thoughts?
do you want to kill him?
You:
Melinda is a lot like this girl I know
No she’s a lot like
(me)
i am MelindaSarah
i am MelindaRogelio i am MelindaMegan,
MelindaAmberMelindaStephenTori
PhillipNavdiaTiaraMateoKristinaBeth it keeps hurting, but
but
but
but
this book cracked my shell
it keeps hurting I hurt, but
but your book cracked my shell.
You:
I cried when I read it.
I laughed when I read it
is that dumb? I sat with the girl—
you know, that girl—
I sat with her because nobody sits with her at lunch
and I’m a cheerleader, so there.
speak changed my life
cracked my shell
made me think
about parties
gave me
wings this book
opened my mouth i whispered, cried
rolled up my sleeves i
hate talking but
I am trying.
You made me remember who I am.
Thanks.
P.S. Our class is gonna analyze this thing to death.
Me:
Me:
Me: weeping
