A Young Boy's Letter on Autism Goes Viral: 'I Cry When People Laugh'

What started as a regular classroom assignment quickly turned into a viral sensation when ten-year-old Benjamin Giroux from Plattsburgh, New York, wrote about life with autism. Inspired by his teacher's task to write a poem starting every line with 'I am,' Benjamin crafted a message that resonated deeply with people everywhere.

Against all odds, Benjamin's poem conveyed an exceptional depth of emotion, which is often challenging for kids with this type of autism. "I am odd, I am new. I wonder if you are too," Benjamin wrote, trying to express what it's like to live with autism, to feel different, to feel othered.

"I hear voices in the air

I see that you don’t, and it’s not fair."

"I don’t want to feel blue

I am odd, I am new."

"I pretend that you are too

I feel like a boy in outer space

I touch the stars and feel out of place

I worry what others think

When I cry when people laugh

it makes me shrink."

"I am odd, I am new

Now I understand you are too."

"I try to fit in

I hope that one day I do

I am odd, I am new."

As soon as Benjamin's poem was shared on social media, it became a talking point in the U.S., garnering thousands of comments, shares, and likes. "Benjamin, it doesn’t seem at all like you have autism. Your language is rich and beautiful, you moved me," read one comment. "Amazing to see a ten-year-old express himself this way; your words are pure gold," wrote another, with a flood of supportive comments creating a bouquet of appreciation for the young boy.

Recently, the touching poem also appeared on the National Autism Association's Facebook page, generating over 40,000 shares.

"Initially, it pained us to read his letter," his parents said after it gained popularity. "We felt sad and hurt that he feels so isolated, alone, misunderstood, and odd at school. But as we delved deeper into his words, we realized he knows he's different, and in his own way, he asks to be loved and accepted nonetheless."