Spoken word poetry written and performed by Robb Scott. This poem was written for my son, who has down syndrome, and how the word 'Retard' might affect him. <br /> <br />For business inquiries contact: robbscott@eastlink.ca <br />Website: www.RobbScottDrawings.com <br /> <br />Breakin" Labels - by Robb Scott <br />Retard! <br /> <br />It's a word you woulda heard me use a lot, <br />to describe my thoughts on a rotten situation. <br />Like that attack on Iraq - that lacked any facts, <br />I sat back and said "now that's a retarded altercation". <br /> <br />I didn't use the word as a way to demean or be seen as being hateful. <br />Only to let you know you ate your weight in stupid, <br />and you still got a plate full. <br /> <br />So it was ok. It was playful. <br /> <br />But I didn't realize, tied to the other side of that word, <br />was a slur and people cried when they heard it. <br />I was oblivious to the insidious nature of the term....... <br /> <br />but I was about to learn it. <br /> <br />When my wife gave birth, there was no plan to rehearse <br />for the worst, no test for this lesson. <br />I was stressed and confused, I cried at the news, <br />This ain't the son that I guessed I was getting! <br /> <br />He's ailing and sick and thin as a stick, <br />he's too frail to even come home. <br />They said he'd be slow, success would be low, <br />and oh! he's got down syndrome. <br /> <br />And that's when it all changed.... <br /> <br />and I became estranged from that word you heard me use a lot, <br />my son was the one who rearranged the plot. <br />and taught me words aren't after-thoughts, <br />they're weapons -- they're used for good or not. <br /> <br />So I got to build him an armoured heart, <br />so this word won't rip my son's apart, <br />but I don't know where or how to start, <br />and that right there is the hardest part. <br /> <br />Because I can't protect him. <br /> <br />So I expect when he roams this world alone, <br />he'll find this word under every stone, <br />he'll flip it over and bring it home, <br />and go over it with a fine tooth comb. <br /> <br />And he'll examine all the ways it's said, <br />the nouns, the verbs, the adjectives. <br />But I hope at night when he goes in bed, <br />this word won't stay inside his head. <br /> <br />Instead, <br /> <br />I hope he dreams of this scene in France, <br />where he sees the word and they exchange a glance, <br />he extends his hands and takes the chance, <br />and asks the word, "would you like to dance?" <br /> <br />And they prance, and play all day and get dirty, <br />spread their wings and sing like a birdy, <br />Then he tells the word, "I know that it's early" <br />"but I got to go now that I know you can't hurt me." <br /> <br />And then he goes, and shows the world what we see, <br />a heart so big you'd hardly believe me, <br />and though I know it won't be that easy, <br />he'll break these labels, so he's able to breath freely.
